JERUSALEM

Israeli government ministers called on Tuesday for the immediate implementation of a plan to expel Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.  

In a post on his X account, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi demanded the swift execution of the Palestinian displacement plan and cutting electricity and water supplies to the enclave.  

Last week, US President Donald Trump called to take over Gaza and move the Palestinians out to neighboring countries, including Jordan and Egypt, an idea widely rejected by Palestinian and Arab leaders.  

On Monday, the Palestinian resistance group said that it would delay the next hostage release in response to Israeli violations of the Gaza ceasefire deal.  

Local Palestinian authorities have listed a series of Israeli violations of the deal, including the shooting of civilians and denying access to relief materials, including tents and caravans for displaced civilians in Gaza.  

Karhi claimed that Hamas thinks it can “gamble with the lives of our hostages,” calling that a “grave mistake.” He demanded the use of “excessive and brutal force” against Hamas members until all captives are released. 

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also called for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. 

“President Trump has made it clear: Israel can set a firm deadline – either all hostages return by Saturday, or we open the gates of hell,” Smotrich said. He urged Israel to “literally unleash hell” on Gaza.  

The extremist minister also pushed for cutting electricity, water, and humanitarian aid to Gaza, claiming that Israel has Trump's full backing to do so.  

“The way to ensure the hostages return is to tell Hamas that if harm comes to any captive, Israel will immediately annex 5% of Gaza’s land – then another 5% and another, until they are all back. We have full support for this,” he said.  

Meanwhile, the former head of the army’s Operations Directorate, Israel Ziv, blamed statements made by government officials for Hamas’ decision to postpone the next hostage release.  

“Our rhetoric is pushing Hamas toward these decisions – this is the irresponsibility I am talking about,” Ziv told the local radio 103FM. 

He argued that negotiations for the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire deal should have started the day after the last hostages were returned. 

“Once the captives are back, we can do whatever we want,” he added.  

The three-phase ceasefire deal has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,200 people and left the enclave in ruins.  

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.  

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.