Benjamin Netanyahu’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has described ongoing ceasefire talks as a “catastrophe,” doubled down this morning with a fresh warning that “we are at a crucial and fateful time for the security, future and existence of the State of Israel.”
Jerusalem has also been accused of imposing last-minute delays on the deal—claims it denies—while stressing that “we are not there yet.”
Meanwhile, footage shared online showed Gazans last night celebrating the deal—which is not yet confirmed—on the streets. Responding to the scenes, U.S. commentator Eyal Yakoby said “the West has been played by Palestinian propaganda.”
Despite some pauses in talks on Tuesday evening, Hamas has now “OK’d” the terms of a ceasefire, according to AP. The news agency, citing sources from Hamas, Egypt and Israel, said the terrorist organisation “has accepted a draft agreement,” while Jerusalem believes “progress has been made, but the details are being finalised.”
The deal, if it crosses the line, would see the staggered release of Israeli hostages, in return for the release of many more Palestinian prisoners and for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. To its critics, this smacks of surrender.
After threatening to resign over the potential ceasefire earlier this week, alongside national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Smotrich today said “the only thing that concerns me is how to win, how to destroy Hamas, how to bring all our hostages home.”
I will not rest or be silent until these goals are achieved.
Yesh Atid party official Merav Ben Ari criticised the anti-ceasefire element of Netanyahu’s government for dealing only with “hollow slogans,” and praised U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to (almost) bring about a deal.
