White House blasts Israeli minister's criticism of possible Gaza cease-fire

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) — The White House on Friday blasted Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, calling his criticism of a Gaza cease-fire proposal "absurd" and accusing him of endangering the lives of Israeli hostages.

"We've seen some statements from some quarters in Israel over recent days attacking the deal. I just want to underscore how long this is, not only in substance, but also jeopardizing the lives of the hostages, and running cattle to Israel's own national security interests," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"Some critics, like Mr. Smotrich, for example, have claimed that the hostage deals surrendered to Hamas, or that hostages should not be exchanged for (Palestinian) prisoners. Mr. Smotrich which essentially suggests that the war ought to go on indefinitely without pause and with the lives of the hostages of no real concern at all," he added.

Smotrich on Friday said a potential Gaza cease-fire deal would be a "dangerous trap where ‘mediators’ dictate terms to us and impose a surrender agreement,"​ urging ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to "fall into this trap."

"It is certainly not the time for a surrender deal that would halt the war before Hamas' destruction," Smotrich added.

According to Kirby, Smotrich's arguments are "dead wrong" and "misleading the Israeli public."

"The idea that (Biden) would support a deal that leaves Israel's security at risk is just factually wrong. It's outrageous. It's absurd," he said.

"I call on the prime minister (Netanyahu) not to fall into this trap and not to agree to a move, even the slightest one, from the red lines he set just recently, and which are also very problematic."

Earlier Friday, Netanyahu's office had announced that on Aug. 15, Israel would be dispatching its negotiation team to finalize the details of a hostage exchange agreement with Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday evening, leaders from Egypt, Qatar, and the US called on Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations in Doha or Cairo on Wednesday or Thursday.