Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that bringing back the Israeli captives held in Gaza is not "the top priority" and that this issue should not be the primary discussion now.
"No, this is not the top priority. Why have a competition? How is that important now? Hamas must be destroyed," Smotrich said in a radio interview.
"It is very important but it is clear that saying things like bringing them back at all costs is a problem," he said referring to captives' families calling on the government to take all possible measures to bring them back. "They have to be returned, there must be pressure on Hamas," Smotrich said.
Responding to the minister's comments, war cabinet member and National Unity Party chief Benny Gantz said that retrieving the captives "is not only our primary objective in the war but also our moral duty as a country and a people and it is now our top priority."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed Smotrich's disgraceful statement, noting that, "Such heartless people cannot continue to lead the country," he said.
But the finance minister tried to paddle back on his words later.
"I was asked in an interview if returning the hostages was more important than destroying Hamas and winning the war," he said.
"My answer is clear. Only by destroying Hamas and winning the war would we bring about the return of the hostages. Anyone who calls for a deal at any cost will bring about defeat in the war and will lower the chances of the hostages being released."
The tense political atmosphere came as families of Israeli captives have been holding angry protests over the past week against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding he work on the release of the captives even if it meant reaching a ceasefire agreement with the Resistance.
On Monday, dozens of people demonstrated in occupied al-Quds outside the official Israeli Prime Minister's residence, demanding an urgent solution to free the remaining Israelis still in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Saturday saw thousands of Israeli settlers demonstrating in both "Tel Aviv" and occupied al-Quds, demanding that Netanyahu reach a prisoner swap agreement with the Hamas Resistance movement and hold snap parliamentary elections at once.