Israeli Right-wing Politician Calls For Attack On Gaza After Hamas Announces Postponement Of Hostage Release

Israeli tanks operate in the Gaza Strip. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - A far-right Israeli politician has called for further attacks on the Gaza Strip, welcoming the response of the President of the United States, after Palestinian militant group Hamas announced plans to postpone the release of hostages.

Former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Israel to continue his campaign against Hamas in Gaza following the announcement of plans to postpone the release.

Ben-Gvir said Israel should carry out "a massive attack on Gaza, from the air and land, along with the complete cessation of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, including electricity, fuel and water, including the bombing of aid packages that have been brought in and in Hamas' hands."

"We have to go back to war and destroy!" he wrote in a post on X, reported The Times of Israel on February 11.

Last month, Otzma Baddit's party led Ben-Gvir to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's defense coalition in protest over the government's approval of the hostages' ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Earlier, Palestinian militant group Hamas on Monday announced it would delay the release of Israeli hostages planned this weekend until further notice, as Israel violated the ceasefire.

"The release of prisoners, scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2025, will be postponed until further notice, pending re retroactive compliance with occupation and fulfillment of obligations in previous weeks," said military wing spokesman Hamas Abu Ubaida.

However, Hamas said it was open to fulfilling the timely release if Israel stopped the foul. Abu Ubaida said it was committed to a ceasefire agreement, as long as Israel complied.

In a statement on Monday, Hamas said they had "closely monitored violations and failures of the enemy to comply with the terms of the agreement over the past three weeks."

In Washington, United States President Donald Trump said the ceasefire and gradual release of hostages in the Gaza Strip would be canceled if Hamas did not release hostages this week, following the announcement of a suspension by the Palestinian militant group.

President Trump said Gaza's ceasefire and the deal to release hostages must be scrapped if all hostages are not released no later than 12 noon this week.

"Let all the hell break," he told reporters from the White House Oval Room.

President Trump stressed that ultimately the decision rests with Israel, adding "I speak for myself. Israel can rule it out."

Ben-Gvir and other far-right politicians, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded to President Trump's comments.

"Everything, now," tweeted Minister of Finance Smotrich on social media X.

Meanwhile, Ben-Gvir again called for an immediate start to the attack.

"Trump is right. Come on to destroy it now," Ben-Gvir tweeted.

It is known, after a 15-month war, a ceasefire and gradual release of hostages between Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire announced on January 15 in Doha, after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the United States for months.

The three-stage deal came into effect on January 19, after being delayed for several hours.

So far, 16 of the 33 hostages to be released in the first phase of the 42-day deal have returned home, while five Thai hostages have been returned in an unscheduled release.

Instead, Israel has released hundreds of prisoners and inmates, including prisoners serving life sentences for deadly attacks and Palestinians detained during the war and detained without charges.