Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened to withdraw his party from the government coalition if a newly announced Gaza ceasefire agreement is approved. In a televised statement on Thursday, Ben-Gvir stood alongside six other ministers and lawmakers from his far-right Otzma Yehudit party, denouncing the ceasefire deal as a “surrender” to Hamas.
“We oppose any agreement that halts our military efforts against Hamas,” Ben-Gvir declared. “Ending the fighting now and releasing Palestinian prisoners is unacceptable. We must continue until Hamas is defeated.”
The ceasefire agreement, announced on Wednesday by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani after intensive mediation involving Egypt and the United States, includes a proposed halt to more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza. As part of the deal, 33 hostages held in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Ben-Gvir’s threat adds pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as another far-right coalition partner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has also expressed reservations. Smotrich demanded “guarantees” that Israel would resume its military operations in Gaza after the initial phase of the agreement is implemented.
The internal divisions within Netanyahu’s government highlight the complexities of reaching a consensus on the ceasefire, which aims to bring a temporary halt to hostilities and facilitate humanitarian efforts in the region.
The international community is watching closely as developments unfold. The ceasefire agreement represents a potential step toward de-escalation, but hardline positions within the Israeli government could pose challenges to its implementation.
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Israeli far-right minister threatens to quit over Gaza ceasefire deal
cgtn.com
