Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is threatening to withdraw from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet if he approves a ceasefire deal with Hamas. The agreement comes after over 460 days of war in Gaza, and Ben-Gvir has slammed it as “irresponsible.” He wants humanitarian aid and essential services like fuel and electricity to be cut off in Gaza until Hamas releases the remaining hostages.
Ben-Gvir is not alone in his opposition; Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also opposes the ceasefire deal. If they withdraw their support, Netanyahu’s government would lose its majority. However, opposition parties have pledged to back Netanyahu as long as the ceasefire deal moves forward.
The United States, Egypt, and Qatar brokered the ceasefire deal, which is set to run for six weeks with negotiations for phases two and three ongoing. Israel has not ruled out resuming hostilities. The agreement aims to guarantee “Israel’s security for generations to come,” but its success hinges on Hamas’ willingness to release hostages without jeopardizing Israeli security.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/17/israels-national-security-minister-threatens-to-resign-over-ceasefire