Noam Party Chairman MK Avi Maoz admitted in an interview with Israel National News - Arutz Sheva that he has mixed feelings about the emerging deal to release the hostages and end the war.
"I think the agreement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he accepts is the best that could have been achieved for Israel under the current circumstances. But at the same time, I truly want to take on the role of a concerned citizen, as Netanyahu once did," said Maoz.
He continued: "I'm worried about what will happen with the 250 terrorists with blood on their hands who are expected to be released. Wouldn't that amount to rebuilding Hamas' infrastructure? What will be the implications for Hamas in Judea and Samaria? What will become of the Palestinian state that everyone is now downplaying, but which still looms on the horizon? I am very happy and eager, together with the entire House of Israel, to see the hostages return home—but at the same time, we must ask the hard questions."
Maoz also questioned the military’s ability to defeat Hamas in light of the political developments. "The agreement is much better than what others would have brought. But the questions remain. I wonder how the government has not managed to bring the army to collapse Hamas two years after the war began. After all, we did not defeat Hamas militarily, and we are now being forced to defeat it politically. Another question is what will happen to all the terrorist infrastructure that Hamas built in the Gaza Strip. About forty percent of the underground tunnels still exist, and thousands of Hamas terrorists remain alive and active. These are serious questions. I very much hope that both the Prime Minister and the cabinet know how to provide answers."
Referring directly to his conditions should the deal move forward—including the release of terrorists and a cessation of fighting—Maoz outlined his red lines: "My main demand is that all the hostages return, and not a single terrorist be released before that. I also demand that the 250 terrorists with blood on their hands not be released either to the Gaza Strip or to Judea and Samaria. They could form the next Hamas infrastructure, and we must not agree to this under any circumstances."
In addition to his demands regarding the terms of the deal, MK Maoz called on the government to take unilateral steps to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. "I call on the government, along with the approval of the agreement, to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, in order to dispel any hopes among the Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza that they will be able to establish a state there," Maoz concluded.