Cabinet ministers voiced sharp criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, following reports that he refrained from explicitly rejecting the prospect of a partial hostage deal. The report, aired on Kan Reshet Bet, stated that several ministers were angered by the prime minister’s failure to clarify that Israel would categorically refuse such an arrangement.
According to the report, ministers accused Netanyahu of leaving open the possibility of a limited agreement. One minister was quoted as saying that the prime minister must “clarify his words and give unequivocal answers, otherwise he is sending soldiers into battle without telling them the truth.”
During Sunday’s cabinet meeting, Netanyahu was asked directly whether he would rule out a partial deal, but did not provide a definitive answer. A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office afterwards noted that Israel is prepared to agree to a deal on the condition that all hostages are released at once. However, ministers pointed out that the statement did not include the word “only,” which would have made clear that no partial arrangement was under consideration.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said after the decision to expand the ground maneuver in Gaza that Netanyahu must state clearly: “There are no stops in the middle and there will be no partial deal.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir likewise announced his opposition to any such agreement, while Minister Orit Strock wrote on X that “the time has come to make it unequivocally clear that the days of partial deals and the terrible damage they cause are over.” Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf also stressed that Israel must insist on a comprehensive deal alone.
Two ministers present at the discussion reported that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer expressed doubt as to whether a partial deal would be recognized by the United States, prompting Netanyahu to ask him to clarify his remarks. In contrast, Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri signaled a willingness to consider the possibility of a partial agreement.