Israel and Hamas were close to a long-awaited cease-fire deal just two days before its announcement, but it was put in jeopardy when far-right coalition partner Itamar Ben-Gvir called on another party to quit the government. Ben-Gvir claimed that his coalition partners had used their influence to thwart similar deals “time after time.” Critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused him of sabotaging past efforts for personal gain.
Netanyahu’s loyalists blame Hamas for past failures, while the current agreement is expected to pass even without support from the far-right parties. However, tensions highlighted the deep divisions within Israeli politics and society following a deadly Hamas-led attack in October. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the deal “bad” but did not explicitly threaten to leave the government.
An Israeli official contradicted Ben-Gvir’s claims, saying that Hamas had been serious about negotiating due to Israel’s military successes, including the killing of Yahya Sinwar. The official also cited pressure from the US and the suffering Palestinian population in Gaza as key factors.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/world/middleeast/ceasefire-netanyahu-israel.html