ALWAGHT- Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war on Gaza to prevent far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from leaving his cabinet, according to Israel's largest newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approved a Gaza ceasefire deal on Saturday after delays caused by opposition from extremist members of his coalition. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a key opponent of the agreement, demanded assurances that Israeli forces would resume their military operations in Gaza and maintain control over humanitarian aid flow. Smotrich reportedly agreed to the deal after receiving guarantees from Netanyahu, though he had earlier threatened to resign if a full-scale war was not resumed after the first phase of the ceasefire.
The ceasefire plan involves three phases, beginning with the release of around 1,000 Palestinian detainees in exchange for the release of female captives held by Hamas. The latter stages would include releasing all Israeli captives, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza, and initiating a reconstruction plan. However, Netanyahu’s reported commitment to resume the war after the first phase risks undermining the agreement, which hinges on Hamas’ condition for a lasting ceasefire. Tensions within Netanyahu’s coalition were further fueled by threats of resignation from extremist leaders like Itamar Ben-Gvir if the deal moved forward.
Despite the agreement, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have continued, with at least 169 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire was announced. The death toll from the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza since October 2023 has reached nearly 47,000, though experts believe the actual number is higher. Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, has warned that continued Israeli aggression endangers captives and risks turning their potential release into a tragedy.