New Hope leader MK Gideon Sa'ar said in a Sunday statement on X that the government's approach to the war would lead to Israel's defeat.
"The issue of the plan to release the captives is stuck for precisely the same reason everything is stuck: In these long months, military pressure on Hamas has waned," Sa'ar wrote. "Without significant pressure, Hamas sees no urgency to devise a new plan.
"A protracted, repetitive, and sluggish war won't lead to a breakthrough. In this scenario, Hamas feels entitled to demand its return to the northern Gaza Strip and the reinstatement of its authority (both political and military) there. The stark reality is that without halting the erosion and altering the course of the conflict, Israel is bound for defeat."
נושא המתווה לשחרור החטופים תקוע בדיוק מאותה סיבה שהכל תקוע: חודשים ארוכים שבהם הוחלש הלחץ הצבאי על חמאס. חמאס לא מרגיש בלחץ להגיע למתווה חדש, כי לא מופעל עליו לחץ משמעותי. המשך מלחמה ארוכה, שבלונית ואיטית לא תביא אותו לשם. במצב דברים זה מרשה לעצמו החמאס לתבוע בעצם את חזרתו לצפון…
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) March 31, 2024
These statements were made in light of the progress in hostage negotiations as Mossad head David Barnea and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar head to Qatar and Egypt, respectively.
Additional government members also commented on the progress of hostage negotiations and Netanyahu's conduct of the war.
Finance Minister Smotrich blames Sinwar
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich set the blame for the hostages squarely on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, saying, "The only person responsible for the fact that the kidnapped individuals do not return home is the despicable Nazi, Yahya Sinwar."
He argued, "All military and diplomatic pressure in the country and worldwide should be directed solely towards him. Anything else undermines the chance to bring them back safely and swiftly home and to win the war."
Smotrich also slammed the way hostage negotiations are conducted.
"Similarly, the demand to soften our positions in negotiations - as repeatedly proven - only hardens Sinwar's stance further and delays the return of the kidnapped. I call on the Prime Minister to stand firm against irresponsible pressures endangering the State of Israel and undermining war goals," he concluded.
Later, Labor Party MK Merav Michaeli also condemned Netanyahu's approach to the war on X, saying that "it all begins and ends with Netanyahu's cowardice."
הכל מתחיל ונגמר בפחדנות של נתניהו. נתניהו לא מציב יעד מדיני למלחמה, לנתניהו אין יעד סיום למלחמה, כי משמעות סיום המלחמה, היא סיום הקדנציה של נתניהו ולכן לשיטתו אין אלטרנטיבה שלטונית לחמאס. גם חמאס יודע שאין דבר כזה ניצחון מוחלט. הוא יודע שנתניהו לא מוכן לסכן את היציבות הפוליטית…
— Merav Michaeli מרב מיכאלי (@MeravMichaeli) March 31, 2024
She slammed the prime minister for having neither political nor military goals for the war because "the end of the war means the end of his term of office and therefore, according to his thinking, there is no alternative to Hamas rule.
"Hamas also knows that there is no such thing as total victory. They know that Netanyahu is not willing to risk his political stability, not to bring the hostages home nor to bring in an alternative government. And without a political alternative, Hamas remains the only address.
"Therefore, Hamas is demanding it returns to the north of the Gaza Strip and the restoration of its power because it also knows that the devastating policy of the government of destruction is what is keeping it in power," she concluded.