‘Full operational freedom’ for IDF in Gaza: Israeli minister draws ‘red lines’ ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meet

Ahead of the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump on Monday (Sep 29), an Israeli far-right minister insisted their military maintain “full operational freedom” in Gaza. The two leaders are set to meet at the White House, where Trump is expected to push Netanyahu to accept his 21-point peace plan to end the conflict.

In a lengthy post on X, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed Netanyahu’s remarks, saying, “a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel’s existence”. He outlined “red lines” that hia Religious Zionism Party “will not compromise on”.

Smotrich said that “through actions, our hold on the territory, and uncompromising enforcement that depends solely on the IDF and our security system.” He demanded a “true and complete withdrawal” of Hamas from Gaza and a full disarmament of all terror infrastructures.

“The IDF will remain forever in the perimeter, including the Philadelphi Corridor, will maintain full operational freedom of action in all areas of the Strip, and will prevent smuggling and defend the southern settlements. It has been proven that we cannot rely on anyone else but ourselves to prevent smuggling and the rearmament of terror organizations in Gaza,” he said.

Smotrich also rejected any involvement of the Palestinian Authority or Qatar in Gaza. He added, “It is time to put an end to Qatar's hypocrisy and duplicity, which encourages and funds terror.” The minister also denied a mention of a Palestinian state, saying it “would endanger Israel’s existence.”

“President Trump, upon entering office, explained better than anyone else how small Israel is, like the tip of a pen relative to the huge table in the Oval Office and how impossible it is to defend it with such narrow borders. The idea of a Palestinian state must be taken off the table forever and certainly not brought back through the front door and granted it dangerous ideological legitimacy in a right-wing government with the supportive Trump administration,” he said.