Israel’s national security minister threatens to resign after ceasefire | News about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Itamar Ben-Gvir and his far-right party are threatening to quit the government over the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has threatened to withdraw from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet if he approves ceasefire agreement with Hamas after more than 460 days of war in Gaza.
Ben-Gvir strongly condemned the deal on Thursday night and said his ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party – also known as the Jewish Power Party – would quit the government if the truce succeeded.
“If this irresponsible agreement is approved and implemented, the Jewish Power Party will not be part of the government and will leave it,” he said.
Ben-Gvir also said that humanitarian aid and fuel, electricity and water must be “completely stopped” entering the war-torn Palestinian enclave to force the release of prisoners held by Hamas.
“Only then will Hamas release our hostages without jeopardizing Israel’s security,” he said.
He also called on fellow Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist Party and another critic of the truce, to resign from the cabinet if the truce is approved.
If both parties withdraw their support, Netanyahu’s coalition government would lose its majority in the Knesset.
Opposition parties, however, have vowed to support the prime minister as long as the ceasefire agreement moves forward, according to Israeli media.
Despite harsh words against the cease-fire agreement, Ben-Gvir told reporters he did not intend to “overthrow” Netanyahu’s government and would consider returning if the truce failed.
Netanyahu’s Likud party said in a statement that “whoever dissolves the right-wing government will forever be in disgrace.”
Likud also defended the ceasefire and said it would “maximize the number of live hostages” to be freed while guaranteeing “Israel’s security for generations to come.”
Israel has killed at least 46,788 people in Gaza since October 2023 and is accused of committing genocide in the Strip in a case brought by South Africa at the International Criminal Court.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar brokered the ceasefire deal, the first phase of which is expected to last six weeks.
Negotiations for the second and third phases are still ongoing, although Israel has not ruled out the continuation of hostilities.
