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Benjamin Netanyahu’s entire cabinet has approved the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the Israeli government announced Saturday, paving the way for the truce in the 15-month war with Israel to take effect on Sunday. Hamas.
U.S.-led mediators announced Wednesday that the two sides had agreed to a multi-phase deal to end the conflict. 15 month war and free the 98 hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group.
However, formal approval from Israel was delayed due to disagreements with Hamas over whether Palestinian prisoners should be released and political tensions in Netanyahu’s government.
The prime minister’s office said Friday that Netanyahu’s security cabinet had approved the deal, which then had to be approved by a majority vote of all government ministers.
This restricted group of ministers gave him the green light “after examining all diplomatic, security and humanitarian aspects; and it being understood that the proposed agreement supports the achievement of the objectives of the war,” he said.
The government then met on Friday evening and announced that approval would not be given until around 1 a.m. local time on Saturday. The meeting, which lasted several hours, took place well after the start of the Jewish Sabbath, a time when the Israeli government usually shuts down all activities.
Netanyahu’s office previously said implementation of the deal and the release of the hostages would begin on Sunday if the security cabinet and government approve it.
While the Israeli government had previously accused Hamas of reneging on the deal, the prime minister’s office said Thursday evening that Netanyahu had been “informed by the negotiating team that agreements had been reached on an agreement for the release of hostages“.
Netanyahu is also trying to manage a brewing political crisis at home, with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announcing Thursday evening that he and his Jewish Power party would leave the ruling coalition if the “reckless” deal was approved.
Ben-Gvir and his ultranationalist ally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, had repeatedly threatened to leave Netanyahu’s government if he agreed to a deal ending the war.
Jewish Power’s departure would leave the coalition with a two-seat majority in the Israeli parliament. It would also put pressure on Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party to follow suit and withdraw, although it appears increasingly likely that he will remain in government during the initial six-week phase of the deal. .
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich do not have enough support within the government to torpedo the deal itself, although if they both pulled their far-right parties out of government, the coalition would lose its parliamentary majority.
Israel’s political system does not prohibit minority governments, and opposition parties have said they are ready to support Netanyahu’s coalition if necessary, but the loss of his two allies would shake the prime minister’s grip on power and could lead to early elections.
