Netanyahu is facing a political crisis due to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza

The Israeli government has not yet ratified the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on Thursday, but the battle over the political future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already begun.

After hours The deal After the announcement, Mr. Netanyahu was facing a potential internal rebellion from the far-right partners in his ruling coalition, whose support he relies on to remain in power.

There is a majority in the Council of Ministers that supports the ceasefire agreement, and if a vote is held, it is expected to be approved even without the votes of the far-right parties.

But the far-right parties, led by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, strongly refused. Oppose the deal.

The far-right ministers have threatened to withdraw from the government if Mr. Netanyahu moves from the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which calls for a temporary six-week truce, to a permanent truce.

Mr. Netanyahu may soon have a fateful choice to make in politically fraught weeks: either keep his coalition together by resuming fighting against Hamas in Gaza, or risk the coalition disintegrating midway through his four-year term and bet on early elections. .

After more than 15 months Destructive warAs President-elect Donald J. Trump approaches office, some analysts believe ending the conflict in Gaza is his best option.

“Elections are about a story,” said Moshe Klughaft, an Israeli strategic adviser and international political campaign manager who has advised Netanyahu in the past, adding that if elections are held, Mr. Netanyahu’s next story will be one of “war and peace.”

The first stage of deal It is expected to begin on Sunday and the last six weeks, when Hamas is supposed to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and Israeli forces are supposed to redeploy to the east, away from populated areas in Gaza.

If implemented, the second phase, over another six weeks, will see the rest of the procedures Hostages Return to their homes, some alive, some dead, and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The hostage families have appealed to Mr. Netanyahu to put politics aside and complete the ceasefire agreement. Mr. Trump has made clear that he wants war, which Hamas has provoked Terrorist attack On Israel on October 7, 2023, until the end.