Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Saturday night that the question of the day after the war in Gaza was discussed in the Cabinet and that discussions are on the issue are ongoing. "There will be a military government in Gaza the day after the war, which in the first stage will also manage the civil affairs of the residents of Gaza and in the second stage, as long as there are moderate local elements who can manage the place civilly, they will be given the opportunity. There is no possibility that we won't rule there the day after and we won't be there civilly because it's either us or Hamas and we committed to destroying Hamas and the military and civilian capabilities of Hamas," Smotrich told Channel 12 News in an interview. On the issue of the hostages being held in Gaza, he said, "The only way to return the hostages is to continue crushing Hamas. There is nothing that harms the chance of returning the hostages safely more than the protests. For me, the goals of the war are to destroy the military and civilian capabilities of Hamas and bring the hostages home. These goals do not contradict one another. As the pressure on Hamas increases and they realize that the rope is getting tighter, we will be able to get the hostages back. [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar is not holding the hostages in order to free terrorists, not to survive, but rather to tear Israeli society apart from the inside and disintegrate it, and we not allow him to do that." Related articles: 'A historic revolution in Judea and Samaria' Israel cancels all import tariffs on US products 'Will not neglect safety of Jewish residents' Smotrich resigns from government in spat with Ben-Gvir The minister commented on the anti-Israeli diplomatic processes that are led by the Palestinian Authority and said, "It is the Palestinian Authority who leads the international processes against Israel. It happens in The Hague and it happens in other places. The thought that the security of Kfar Saba depends on the Palestinian Authority is delusional, and I am fighting against this concept as well. South Africa is a proxy of the Palestinian Authority and we need to recognize that and act accordingly." During the interview, the Minister of Finance was asked about the revised state budget for 2024, which was approved by the government and is expected to be approved by the Knesset plenum in the coming weeks. "The budget came with a change in priorities. First of all, the reservists are at the center, and then the rest of the budget was built. We have brought an extensive and comprehensive plan for the reservists that recognizes the tremendous contribution of the reservists and their families. Nine billion shekels are intended for them. This is a correct and good budget that will continue to support the war measures and will give the economy the ability to continue growing."
