Israeli minister urges political allies to oppose deal with Hamas

Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has called on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join forces to prevent the signing of what he described as a capitulation deal with Hamas.

"Otzma Yehudit alone does not have the ability to prevent the deal. I suggest that we go together to the prime minister and inform him that if he passes the deal we will resign from the government," Caliber.Az reports, citing Ben-Gvir’s message on X.

העסקה המתגבשת היא נוראית. אני מכיר היטב את פרטיה:
היא כוללת שחרור מאות מחבלים רוצחים מבתי הכלא, חזרת עזתים בהם אלפי מחבלים לצפון הרצועה, מסיגה את צה"ל מציר נצרים, ומחזירה את האיום על תושבי העוטף - ובכך למעשה מוחקת את הישגי המלחמה שהושגו בדם רב של לוחמינו, עד כה, ברצועת עזה.
לא… pic.twitter.com/8bwuxB8uuc

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 14, 2025

He explained that until recently, he had enough political leverage to block the deal.

"However, recently, forces supporting the deal have joined the government, and its existence no longer depends on us," Ben-Gvir added.

The leader of Otzma Yehudit party further clarified that stepping down from the government would not be an attempt to overthrow it.

"But leaving the government is the only step that can effectively prevent the catastrophic move of implementing this deal," Ben-Gvir stated.

The two far-right parties united in the previous election but function independently. Recently, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have clashed over police funding in the national budget. 

According to Israeli figures, around 1,200 people were killed in Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel, and over 250 others were taken hostage. In retaliation, Palestinian health officials report that more than 46,000 people have died in Gaza, with much of the area destroyed and the majority of its population displaced. 

Officials have stated that the US, Qatar, and Egypt have been facilitating negotiations for a ceasefire deal, with agreements potentially nearing completion. However, some families of the hostages oppose the deal, expressing concerns that the phased approach being discussed may only lead to the release of some of 98 remaining hostages, leaving others behind. Despite these concerns, recent surveys indicate widespread support for the deal among the Israeli public.

By Naila Huseynova