Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said the country needs a “big deal that does not include surrender to Hamas” in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.

“I believe that surrender deals that harm the great war achievements, harm us,” the leader of the ultranationalist Religious Zionist Party told Israeli radio station 103fm.

“Releasing terrorists with blood-stained hands is actually rebuilding Hamas leadership,” he said, referring to Palestinian prisoners who could be released as part of a captive exchange deal.

Along with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Smotrich has been one of the staunchest opponents of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Democrats Party leader Yair Golan has also agreed that “we should not accept a small deal” but said the state should not give up on retrieving all the captives held in Gaza.

“We should go for a deal where everyone is released and build an alternative to Hamas,” he was quoted as saying by Israeli Army Radio.