Tel Aviv, Aug. 29 -- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the annexation of parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to disarm, sparking global condemnation.

Presenting his "victory plan" at a Jerusalem press conference on Thursday, August 28, Smotrich proposed seizing portions of Gaza weekly over four weeks, forcing Palestinians to move south while imposing a blockade on the north and centre to "eliminate Hamas fighters."

He also urged cutting off water, electricity, and food to the Strip, stating, "Those who don't die from bullets will die of hunger."

Hamas denounced the remarks as an "explicit admission" of genocide and forced displacement, accusing Israel of war crimes and urging international action against its...