Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that Israel will resume full-scale military operations in Gaza to eradicate Hamas if the terror group is not neutralized through other means, signaling that a renewed offensive could be imminent.

Speaking at a conference of Religious Zionism school principals in Eilat, Smotrich said an ultimatum would soon be issued to Hamas and warned that failure to comply would lead to intensified fighting. “Hamas must be completely destroyed. You will see in the coming days that a time limited ultimatum will be issued. When it expires, we will have to return to fighting, to destroy, to kill and eliminate these terrorists, and there are additional arenas where we have not yet said the final word,” he said.

Smotrich also pointed to what he described as a shift within the Israel Defense Forces, crediting increased participation by soldiers from religious backgrounds. “The army today is completely different because our people are serving in it, coming from a world of Torah. Our influence across the country is very great, and it has also increased behind closed doors and in decision making centers,” he said.

He concluded by asserting that Israel has emerged stronger in recent years, both militarily and economically. “Bottom line, after these two years our security and economic situation is better,” Smotrich said.

{Matzav.com}