Israel’s finance minister says rescue of hostages ‘not most important issue’

Hamas seeks an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza in exchange for any hostage swap with Israel.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, stated Tuesday that hostages held by Hamas are “not the most important thing” for Tel Aviv.

“No, that’s not the most important thing,” Smotrich told Israeli public TV KAN when asked if the return of hostages was critical.

“Bringing them back at any costs is an incorrect and irresponsible statement. “This is not a competition,” he explained.

The hardline minister maintained that Israel’s primary purpose is to eliminate Hamas.​​​​​​​

Israel says that Hamas is holding as least 134 Israelis as a result of their October 7 cross-border attack.

Hamas seeks an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza in exchange for any hostage swap with Israel.

Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip since October 7, killing almost 29,195 Palestinians and injured approximately 69,170 through mass damage and shortages of needs, whereas the Hamas offensive is thought to have killed fewer than 1,200 Israelis.

According to the UN, Israel’s war on Gaza has forced 85% of the territory’s people into internal displacement, resulting in acute food, clean water, and medication shortages, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel is accused of genocide before the International Court of Justice. An interim verdict issued in January ordered Tel Aviv to halt genocidal acts and take steps to ensure that residents in Gaza get humanitarian aid.