Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, has expressed strong opposition to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal, stating that his party, the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, will withdraw from the governing coalition if the deal goes through. Ben Gvir believes that such a deal would send the wrong message to Hamas, indicating that they can resort to hostage-taking and attacks to achieve their goals.
Earlier this week, Ben Gvir had threatened to resign over the proposed deal and has urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a member of the Religious Zionism Party, to join him in opposing it. The support of both parties is crucial for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to maintain his coalition government.
