Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli (Likud) threatened in a lengthy statement on Thursday to resign his position as a minister if the incoming hostage deal terms include a retreat from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border or “if we do not return to fight in order to complete the goals of the war.”
The announcement was significant, as Chikli was the first minister from the Likud to threaten to resign. The Religious Zionist Party made a similar threat earlier on Thursday.
Chikli wrote, “We set three goals for this war: the military defeat of Hamas, the collapse of its rule, and the return of the hostages.”
הגדרנו שלושה יעדים למלחמה הזו: הכרעה צבאית של חמאס, מיטוט שלטונו והשבת החטופים.יש במלחמה מול חמאס הישגים לא מבוטלים: שדרת ההנהגה הבכירה של חמאס ספגה מכות אנושות עם חיסולם של סנוואר, דף, הנייה ובכירים נוספים; אלפי מחבלים חוסלו בידי כוחות צה״ל וחמאס איבד את מרבית נכסיו ויכולותיו…
— עמיחי שיקלי - Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) January 16, 2025
“There are significant achievements in the war against Hamas: Hamas's senior leadership has suffered severe blows with the elimination of Sinwar, Deif, Haniyeh, and other senior figures; thousands of terrorists have been killed by IDF forces, and Hamas has lost most of its assets and military capabilities,” Chikli continued.
“This is not the organization that was here on October 6. I am proud of the achievements of the IDF fighters in active duty, permanent service, and reserves so far.
“However, it must be said honestly: largely thanks to the continuous supply Hamas received (under tremendous pressure from the Biden administration), which is far beyond humanitarian needs, Hamas has managed to greatly extend the duration of the fighting, maintain firm control over Gaza’s population, and preserve some of its military capabilities. The mission is not yet complete,” Chikli wrote.
Regarding the details of the emerging deal, the minister wrote, “To begin with the obvious, we have a supreme commitment to fight for the return home of every hostage, every citizen, and every soldier, alive or dead.”
Chikli continued, “The most important foundation of the deal is Israel's refusal to commit to ending the war.
“Equally important: Hamas does not receive its demand for a complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip. The IDF will continue to hold the Philadelphi Corridor (five outposts and patrols along the Corridor) and the perimeter along the entire Gaza border.
“So far, the government has stood by its commitment to the goals of the war even when questions arose, such as in the previous deal, regarding the issue of entering Rafah or the ground maneuver in Lebanon. It is clear to me that this will also be the case now.”
Committing to resignation in the case of Israel's withdrawal from Philadelphi Corridor
“I am committing here that if there is, God, forbid, a withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor (before achieving the war goals), or if we do not return to fight in order to complete the war goals, I will resign from my position as a minister in the government,” Chikli wrote.
“This deal is hard to digest and involves heavy prices. Therefore, as was the case in the previous vote, I will make my final decision only at the end of presenting all the details of the deal,” Chikli added.
He continued, “Our significant and painful concession is the control over the Netzarim corridor, meaning the ability of Gazans to move to the northern part of the Strip. Will this concession make it difficult to renew the fighting? The answer is yes. Will it prevent us from renewing the fighting? The answer is no.
“Regarding the release of prisoners: the overwhelming majority of those released are junior operatives arrested in Gaza (wanted for investigation). In addition, several hundred involved in terrorism, including about 150 terrorists sentenced to life imprisonment, will be deported and not allowed to return to the West Bank. This is a heavy price that involves risk; this fact should not be obscured,” Chikli wrote.
Israel-US relations
“Last night, I listened intently to Mike Waltz, [President-elect Donald] Trump's incoming National Security Advisor, a true friend of Israel, who said in an interview with Fox News that the incoming administration supports Israel's right to continue the war as much as necessary and that it is important to ensure that Hamas does not continue to rule Gaza. Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth said this week during his confirmation hearing that he supports Israel's right to ‘destroy Hamas and eliminate it to the last person.’ This policy is completely opposite to the outgoing administration's policy,” Chikli wrote.
“In conclusion, the last word has not been said, and like in a marathon race – it is the final word that will determine the outcome. Israel has the backing of the incoming administration, which is undoubtedly expected to be the most supportive of Israel ever."
“And one last note: to fully achieve the war's objectives, we need to replace the top of the General Staff. We need a different spirit – aggressive and determined, one that strives for decisiveness and the enemy's destruction. We have a series of such commanders at the division commander level, and they should take the lead,” Chikli concluded.