Israeli politics are heating up as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key far-right figure, has threatened to quit the government over the proposed Gaza ceasefire agreement.
In a televised statement on Thursday, Ben-Gvir, surrounded by six of his party’s ministers and lawmakers, criticized the agreement—announced by Qatar the previous day—as \"surrendering\" to Hamas.
The proposed deal calls for an initial 42-day ceasefire in Gaza, halting over 15 months of conflict, and includes a prisoner exchange: 33 hostages held in Gaza would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Ben-Gvir’s opposition stems from his stance against ending hostilities and releasing Palestinian prisoners, advocating instead for continued military action until Hamas is \"defeated.\"
The threat to exit the coalition government heightens the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject the deal. Earlier, another far-right leader, Bezalel Smotrich, demanded \"guarantees\" that Israel's assault on Gaza would resume following the first phase of the deal.
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement emerged after intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, signaling a potential pause in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Reference(s):
Israeli far-right minister threatens to quit over Gaza ceasefire deal
cgtn.com
