Smotrich Draws Red Line: Israel Won’t Hand Gaza to Palestinian Authority After Years of Sacrifice

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a forceful rejection of any plan to transfer control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority following the long and costly campaign against Hamas. In clear language, Smotrich stated that the Palestinian Authority supports terrorism and that Israel did not endure three years of sacrifice only to hand the territory to another enemy. He described such a move as trading one problem for another, underscoring that the heavy price paid by Israeli soldiers and civilians demands a lasting solution rather than a superficial change in governance.

Smotrich’s position reflects a broader view held by many in Israel’s security-minded leadership that the Palestinian Authority has failed to confront or dismantle terrorist infrastructure and continues policies that incentivize violence. Replacing Hamas rule with PA administration, in this assessment, would risk recreating conditions that allow terrorism to regenerate under a different banner. After the enormous human and national cost of the war to eliminate Hamas’s military capabilities, any arrangement that leaves Gaza under an entity viewed as hostile would undermine the very purpose of the prolonged effort.

The minister’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the future of Gaza, including international proposals involving transitional governance and security arrangements. Smotrich has consistently argued that true security requires full demilitarization and that Israel cannot afford to outsource responsibility to actors who share ideological hostility toward the Jewish state. His insistence on not repeating past mistakes prioritizes the protection of Israeli communities over diplomatic formulas that have previously failed to deliver peace.

This uncompromising stance highlights the high stakes for Israel’s long-term security. After years of fighting to dismantle a terrorist regime that launched the October 7 massacre and subsequent attacks, the demand is for outcomes that prevent any return to the previous reality. Smotrich’s message is straightforward: the sacrifices made must produce genuine change, not a transfer of power from one enemy to another. Only arrangements that permanently remove the threat of terrorism from Gaza can justify the price already paid.