Ben-Gvir, an Israeli minister, has threatened to resign from Netanyahu’s cabinet over the Gaza accord

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right Israeli police minister, warned on Tuesday to resign from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration if he accepts a ceasefire and hostage-release agreement being discussed in Qatar.

Ben-Gvir, who insisted that his exit would not topple Netanyahu’s administration, called on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in a final effort to block a ceasefire agreement that he saw as a risky concession to Hamas.

“This move is our only chance to prevent (the deal’s) execution, and prevent Israel’s surrender to Hamas, after more than a year of bloody war, in which more than 400 IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers fell in the Gaza Strip, and to ensure that their deaths are not in vain,” Ben-Gvir stated on X.

Smotrich did not threaten to leave Netanyahu’s government, but he did say on Monday that he is against the pact. The phased ceasefire agreement, which outlines a halt to violence and the release of hostages, is anticipated to get support from the majority of ministers.

Ben-Gvir repeated Smotrich’s comments on Monday, when he stated that Israel should continue its military assault in Gaza until the Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose strike on October 7, 2023, sparked the conflict, completely surrenders.

According to Israeli estimates, Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel claimed the lives of almost 1,200 individuals and resulted in the capture of about 250 more.

Since then, the majority of Gaza’s population has been uprooted and much of the territory has been left in ruins, with Palestinian health officials reporting that over 46,000 people have died there.

According to authorities, agreements might be reached soon as the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been negotiating a ceasefire accord.

Some hostage families are against the plan because they believe that just a portion of the 98 hostages who are still alive will be released as part of the phased agreement, leaving others behind.

Numerous polls have revealed that the Israeli public is generally in favor of such an agreement.