Prime Minister Netanyahu faces opposition from key allies but reportedly holds majority to pass agreement
Israel's Security Cabinet is expected to meet Tuesday to approve a cease-fire agreement in Gaza and a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority Kan reported Monday.
The broadcaster said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to ensure that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a close ally, does not withdraw support for the government over his opposition to the deal.
The risk of a government collapse is “very low," the report said, as Netanyahu holds “a clear majority” within his coalition to approve the agreement, despite objections from Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has labeled the deal a “disaster.”
Kan suggested that if developments proceed quickly, the Security Cabinet could meet Tuesday afternoon, followed by a government meeting to finalize the deal.
For its part, Israeli Channel 12 claimed a “broad majority” within the government supports the agreement.
The outlet reported that Netanyahu's Likud Party (18 members), the Shas Party (six members), the United Torah Judaism Party (two members), and the National Unity Party (two members) are likely to back the deal.
In contrast, the Otzma Yehudit Party and the Religious Zionism Party (three members apiece) are reportedly against the agreement.
Netanyahu reportedly met with Smotrich on Monday, offering concessions on West Bank settlement construction to secure his continued participation in the government if the deal is approved.
While Smotrich's party announced its opposition to the deal, it did not threaten to resign from the coalition if the agreement is passed.
Similarly, Ben-Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit Party, has not reiterated his previous threats to leave the government over such matters, according to Yedioth Ahronoth daily.
- 'Details of deal finalized'
Channel 12 also reported claims from unnamed Israeli sources saying the details of the agreement have been finalized, with the final response now awaited from Hamas.
As of yet, Hamas has not yet commented on the Israeli reports.
Israel currently holds more than 10,300 Palestinian prisoners, while it is estimated that 99 Israelis are detained in Gaza. Hamas said that many Israeli captives have been killed in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes.
The prisoner swap and cease-fire talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, have been interrupted several times due to new conditions imposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli opposition and families of captives accuse Netanyahu of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed nearly 46,600 people, most of them women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
