Smotrich responded to the leak from the meeting, while criticizing Netanyahu and the cabinet over their decision to move forward on Gaza aid.
Israel’s security cabinet met late on Saturday night for a meeting that reportedly saw tense confrontations between Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir over the topic of humanitarian aid, including quotes from the meeting that were leaked to the public.
The meeting took place just hours before the Israeli delegation was set to leave for Doha and ended with a decision to further distribute humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip.
The report stated that there was a delay in establishing the “humanitarian aid city” in the southern part of Gaza, with Netanyahu reportedly criticizing the military’s delay, saying, “There’s no reason to wait; we need to move forward.”
Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir voted against the proposal and reportedly argued that it would be more difficult to evacuate the population from the area.
During the meeting, images of Gazan civilians running towards aid distribution centers were shown.
Palestinians approach to collect aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)
Regarding the aid centers, Zamir said, “Look at the soldiers. It’s not far from them.”
Ben-Gvir asked, “Why are we distributing[aid] to them [Gazans] and endangering our soldiers?”
Netanyahu responded, “They’re running because there’s no food. Once they get enough, they won’t run like that.”
Ben-Gvir added, “We must stop! They’re running because that’s their mentality. Even when the hostages were brought in, they ran after them. Were they hungry then, too?!”
Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strock then said that the situation “is being mismanaged.”
Regional Cooperation Minister Dudi Amsalem responded, “Then you manage it.”
Smotrich criticizes security cabinet leak
Smotrich responded to the leak from the security cabinet meeting, stating, “Partial and biased leaks from the cabinet have been and remain a disgrace that harms the security of the state, and this must come to an end.”
Smotrich said that Zamir is “failing in his mission” and is “forcing the political echelon to allow aid to enter that reaches Hamas and turns into logistical supply for the enemy during wartime.”
He called the decision made by Netanyahu and the rest of the cabinet “wrong.”
“And with all due respect, my criticism is also directed at the prime minister, who, throughout the months of the war, has failed to implement the decisions of the political echelon and enforce them on the senior IDF command on this critical issue for victory – the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages.”
Smotrich concluded, “The decision made yesterday, contrary to our position, to allow aid through the old and flawed route, is unacceptable to us, and we will consider our next steps regarding it.”
Ben-Gvir’s firm opposition to Gaza deal
In a post to X/Twitter on Saturday evening, Ben-Gvir called on Netanyahu to withdraw the “surrender framework,” referring to the US-backed hostage deal proposal, and “return to a framework of decisive victory.”
“The only path to decisive victory and the secure return of our hostages is the full conquest of the Gaza Strip, a complete halt to so-called ‘humanitarian’ aid, and the encouragement of emigration,” he added.
