We can and must conquer the Gaza Strip, we should not be afraid of that word, said Smotrich on Monday at an event held by an organization representing Israeli settlers on the occupied West Bank.
According to Smotrich, a "unique opportunity" has opened up in Gaza, referring to Donald Trump's re-election in the USA.
We can create a situation where the population of Gaza will have halved within two years.
Smotrich also sparked international outrage in August when he hinted that it would be justified to let two million Gazans starve in order to free Israeli hostages in the Palestinian area. He has also previously advocated for Gazans to be "encouraged to emigrate to other countries".
Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently accused Israel of causing massive forced displacements in Gaza since the war broke out in October last year – and of committing crimes against humanity.
