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The Israeli government announced early Saturday that Benjamin Netanyahu’s full cabinet supported a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, paving the way for a truce in the 15-month-old war with Hamas to go into effect on Sunday.
US-led mediators announced on Wednesday that the two sides had agreed to a multi-stage agreement to stop the 15-month-old war and release the 98 hostages still being held by the Palestinian armed group.
However, Israel’s formal approval has been delayed due to disagreements with Hamas over which Palestinian prisoners should be released and political tensions within Netanyahu’s government.
The Prime Minister’s Office said earlier on Friday that Netanyahu’s security cabinet had approved the agreement, which then needed to be approved by a majority vote of all ministers in the government.
This internal group of ministers had given it the green light “after studying all diplomatic, security and humanitarian aspects.” On the basis that the proposed agreement supports the achievement of the war’s objectives.”
The government then met on Friday evening to announce that approval would not be issued until around 1am local time on Saturday. The meeting, which lasted for hours, took place after the start of the Jewish Sabbath, when the Israeli government usually suspends all business.
Netanyahu’s office had previously said that the implementation of the agreement and the release of the hostages would begin on Sunday if approved by the security cabinet and the government.
While the Israeli government had previously accused Hamas of reneging on the agreement, the Prime Minister’s Office said Thursday evening that Netanyahu “was informed by the negotiating team that agreements had been reached on an agreement to release the hostages.”
Netanyahu is also trying to manage a political crisis brewing at home, as far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced on Thursday evening that he and his “Jewish Power” party would withdraw from the ruling coalition if the “reckless” deal is approved.
Ben Gvir and his ultra-nationalist ally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, repeatedly threatened to leave Netanyahu’s government if it accepted an agreement to end the war.
The departure of the “Jewish Power” party would give the coalition a two-seat majority in the Israeli parliament. It would also increase pressure on Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party to follow suit and withdraw, although the odds appear increasing that they will remain in government during the initial six-week phase of the agreement.
Ben Gvir and Smotrich do not have enough support within the government to torpedo the agreement itself, although if they both withdraw their far-right parties from the government, the coalition will lose its parliamentary majority.
The political system in Israel does not prevent the formation of minority governments, and the opposition parties said that they are ready to support Netanyahu’s coalition if necessary, but the loss of his two allies will shake the prime minister’s grip on power and may lead to early elections.