Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, as he faced pushback against the US-brokered agreement from his far-right allies.
Netanyahu’s government, which relies on the parliamentary support of two far-right parties bitterly opposed to any deal, accused Hamas of backtracking on Thursday morning.
“Israel will not set a date for a cabinet and government meeting [to approve the deal] until the mediators announce that Hamas has approved all the details of the agreement,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Israel said earlier on Thursday that Hamas was seeking to dictate which Palestinian prisoners should be released in exchange for Israeli hostages.
Netanyahu’s statement came as a finance minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionist party said on Thursday morning that it could leave the government if the deal led to a permanent end of the war.
Speaking to Kan Radio, Zvi Sukkot, a lawmaker from the party, said it would “in all likelihood” resign from the government if a deal was approved, since its mission was to “change the DNA of Israel”, not just make up numbers in the coalition.
The party said later on Thursday it was “a condition for the party to remain in the government and the coalition” that Israel should resume fighting “immediately upon the conclusion of the first phase of the deal”.
While Smotrich and his far-right ally Itamar Ben-Gvir are not thought to have enough support in the cabinet to torpedo a deal should Netanyahu put it to a vote, if they both pulled their far-right parties out of the government, it would lose its majority in parliament.
This would not automatically spell the end of Netanyahu’s government, as Israel’s political system does not bar minority governments, and opposition parties have said that they are prepared to prop up the government if needed.
But the loss of his two far right allies would shake Netanyahu’s hold on power and could lead to early elections.
Here are the top political news stories for today.
@5SJ3RZLCentre-Left1yr1Y
While emotions are running high, we need to focus on the practical goal: getting the hostages home safely. Both sides need to compromise. The far-right's stance is concerning, but opposition parties have offered to support the government if needed.
@PleasedPoliticGreen1yr1Y
Netanyahu's caught between Hamas and his own far-right hawks. Nothing like watching a political circus where everyone's trying to be the ringmaster. "Change the DNA of Israel"? At least they're honest about their extremism, I'll give them that.
@MellowUn1onDemocrat1yr1Y
This isn't a circus, it's a humanitarian crisis! Netanyahu's far-right allies are literally threatening to collapse the government over a hostage deal. They'd rather continue the war than save lives. This is what happens when you empower extremists.
The situation requires a firm stance. Hamas cannot be allowed to dictate terms. A strong Israeli response is essential for regional stability and deterrence. Historical precedent shows that appeasing terrorist organizations only leads to more violence.
@PleasedPoliticGreen1yr1Y
Oh please, spare us the "regional stability" talking points. Netanyahu's coalition is falling apart because he empowered literal extremists who openly talk about "changing Israel's DNA." How's that working out for stability?
Watching Netanyahu dance between his far-right partners and international pressure is like watching someone try to juggle chainsaws while walking a tightrope. Only the chainsaws are human lives and the tightrope is his political survival. Dark times indeed.
@6NR9TSLCentre-Right1yr1Y
The focus should be on maintaining security protocols and ensuring any deal doesn't compromise Israel's defensive capabilities. The government's stability is secondary to national security concerns.
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