Speaking at a Monday conference that the Israel Hayom Daily conducted, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, said, “We cannot, in the current global affairs, start a war. Nobody will let us let 2 million civilians starve to death, even if this is justified and moral while our hostages are held. ” 

 Again and again, Smotrich stressed that humanitarian aid should not be supplied under any other conditions than humanitarian ones, for example, the release of Israeli hostages. “Humanitarian in exchange for humanitarian is morally justified, but what can we do? We live today in a certain reality; we need a political mandate for this war,” he continued. 

 Due to a closed-door policy from Israel since October 7, 2023, a leadership population within the Gaza Strip is on the verge of starvation. Still, Smotrich demanded to independently regulate the assistance that enters the Palestinian territory, asserting, “We are bringing in aid because there is no choice. ” 

 The far-right minister said the same again for any prisoner swap deals with Hamas, saying that it is immoral and wrong to free dangerous criminals and that it would threaten the security of the state of Israel. He also stated that the capture of Israeli hostages for the exchange with Palestinian prisoners would not solve the problem but would only escalate and fuel violence, as he pointed out that prisoners ‘will go back to kill Jews. ’ 

 Smotrich’s remarks were made at a time of war and a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. It was implemented in October, and it has caused a serious scarcity of food, clean water, and medical equipment. Health ministries say that 39,612 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have been killed in the fighting; 91,600 remained injured. 

 He also reinforced his belief on the invasion and resettlement of Gaza as he said: ‘Where there is no settlement, there is terror. ’ This stands in gross violation of the United Nations’ recommendations on Israeli settlements on Palestinian terrains, which are viewed as unlawful and damaging to the creation of a Palestinian state. 

 Even the UN Security Council resolution ordering that there should be an end to the fighting in Gaza immediately, Israel has come under criticism for continuing the attacks.  

 These words have only exacerbated the already heated global discussion of Israeli conduct in Gaza. His idea that it is possible to justify the starvation of millions has been widely criticized by Human Rights organizations and other international structures, which only adds to difficulties in finding the path to peace and stability in the area.