Israeli minister Ben-Gvir says his party will quit government if Gaza deal ratified

ISTANBUL

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister of Israel, said on Thursday his party will quit the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the Gaza cease-fire and hostage release deal reached a day earlier is passed by the cabinet.

Addressing a press conference, Ben-Gvir, head of the Jewish Power party, said the prisoner exchange and Gaza cease-fire deal with Hamas, announced by the US and Qatar, "will undo all the achievements we have made,” describing it as "a disgrace.”

He added that his faction would only rejoin the coalition if military operations in Gaza, which have killed more than 46,000 people since Oct. 7, 2023 and left it in ruins, resumed.

Ben-Gvir described the deal as "reckless," noting that it includes a truce and a withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor in southern Gaza.

"The Jewish Power party will not topple Netanyahu and will allow him to remain as prime minister, but it will not be part of this deal,” the minister said.

Ben Gvir's withdrawal cannot bring down Netanyahu's government, as his party has only six seats in the 120-seat parliament, known as the Knesset.

An Israeli cabinet meeting was postponed on Thursday, but the ministers are expected to back the three-phase cease-fire deal, which will halt the fighting in Gaza and release hostages in return of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, on Friday, according to Israeli media. Aid would also be allowed into Gaza and there would be full Israeli withdrawal from the enclave.

Earlier this week, Ben Gvir had said the cease-fire talks were a surrender to Hamas, and that if the deal passes, he will resign. He had urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to follow suit.

In the first phase of the agreement, 33 Israeli captives are set to be released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners.