OFRA, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that a victory for his country in its war against militant group Hamas means that the Gaza Strip will be “entirely destroyed”.

“Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to… the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries,” the far-right firebrand told a conference in the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the occupied West Bank.

Smotrich, who lives in a settlement in the West Bank, also expressed his hope that the territory would be formally annexed during the current government’s term, which could last until late next year.

He called the annexation of the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, “one of the most important challenges” for the Israeli leadership.

In recent months, Israeli public figures including Smotrich have increasingly called for the annexation of the West Bank, defying global concerns over the future of the Palestinian territory.

Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to three million Palestinians, and around 490,000 Israelis living in settlements that are illegal under international law.