Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Thursday that he and his party colleagues will quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet if he approves a Gaza ceasefire deal and the release of hostages. informs TASR according to the AFP agency.
The agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant movement Hamas, which was announced on Wednesday by its mediators on Wednesday evening, was called “irresponsible” by Ben-Gvir. But he added that he would consider returning to government if the war in Gaza resumed after the first phase of the ceasefire. The agreement should enter into force on Sunday, January 19.
Minister Ben-Gvir also called for a “complete halt” to all humanitarian aid to Gaza, including fuel, electricity and water supplies, until all hostages are released.
Local media on Thursday indicated that the Israeli security cabinet approves the mentioned agreement on the ceasefire and the release of the hostages on Friday even without the support of Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and that it will subsequently be accepted by the entire cabinet, I write for The Times of Israel newspaper.
Without Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power (Ocma Yehudit) party, Netanyahu’s coalition will still have a majority in the 120-member Knesset. However, she would lose it if Smotrič’s Religious Zionism party also left the coalition, writes TOI.
However, opposition parties have promised to provide a “safety net” for the coalition to move forward and see the deal through.
