Lapid: A deal is possible, Hamas is uninterested in torpedoing it, I offered a political safety net

Lapid has said he would provide a safety net for a deal, echoing statements from Mansour Abbas in the face of opposition to a deal from Smotrich.

 Yair Lapid speaking at a faction meeting, January 13, 2025. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Yair Lapid speaking at a faction meeting, January 13, 2025.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Yesh Atid and opposition head Yair Lapid addressed his meeting with Qatari officials in Paris on Sunday at the beginning of the Yesh Atid faction meeting on Monday.

"The Qatari senior official reported to us about the actual situation of the hostage deal. I can't go into all the details, but we learned from him that a deal is possible, and at this stage, Hamas is not interested in torpedoing it."

He also mentioned that due to the coalition's opposition to the deal, "I offered him a political safety net for a hostage deal. This offer is more valid than ever. If Netanyahu can and wants to make a deal, he and I will know how to close the details of the safety net in half an hour."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the emerging hostage deal a “national security catastrophe" and continued his calls to "conquer and clean the entire Strip."

Ra'am Party leader Mansour Abbas told Army Radio on Sunday, "If a government is formed that will agree to a hostage deal and an end to the war, Ra'am will be a safety net that will allow [said government] to live out its days."

 Head of opposition Yair Lapid addresses the Israeli parliament on December 18, 2024.  (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Head of opposition Yair Lapid addresses the Israeli parliament on December 18, 2024. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Idan Roll's resignation

Lapid also explained to the press the reasons for Idan Roll's resignation during the same meeting.

Lapid said, "He understood from us that he would not be in the next Knesset and chose to resign. But then you will return the mandate to the Knesset. This is an improper act, and improper people are treated as improper people."

Yesh Atid will announce in the Knesset plenum on Monday the expulsion of Idan Roll from all memberships in Knesset committees on the party's behalf.

MK Moshe Tur-Paz, who was a placeholder member until now, will become a permanent member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in his place.