A cabinet meeting will be held later this week to instruct the IDF on how to move forward with the objectives of the Israel-Hamas War, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Monday.
The objectives are the return of the remaining 50 hostages from Hamas captivity and the end of the terrorist group’s domination over the Palestinian enclave, Netanyahu said.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in response to Netanyahu’s statements that “great and historic accomplishments” have been made during the war.
“Because we were not divided,” Smotrich added. “Because we stand together and fight together.”
To sustain the State of Israel’s success, he said, “We need to continue standing together and fighting together to achieve the war objectives that we set – all of them: defeating the enemy, releasing our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Smotrich added that two new projects were set to begin in the South to support the rehabilitation and development of the communities that were decimated during Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
Restoring and developing Israel's South
The projects, totaling a value of NIS 3.2 billion, will focus on Ashkelon, Ofakim, Netivot, Merhavim, Eshkol, Sha’ar Hanegev, and Shadmot in the Negev.
In Ashkelon, plans are underway to invest in education, infrastructure, culture, sports, and the local economy, Smotrich said.
In the other areas mentioned, the finance minister said that the government would invest in the development of industrial zones, innovation and research centers, and opening Israel’s first Paralympic village for athletes.