Rifts with Hamas and a far-right minister’s threat to resign complicated progress toward the Israeli cabinet’s vote on the deal, which includes the release of hostages.The New York Times reports that as of Jan. 16, 2025 at 10:00 p.m. in Jerusalem, the Israeli Cabinet is still at odds over a proposed cease-fire deal with Hamas. The deal, which includes the release of hostages, was announced on Wednesday by President Biden and other mediators, but has yet to be approved by the Israeli government.
According to live updates, the Israeli Cabinet is expected to vote on the deal on Friday, after last-minute disputes and rifts within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition emerged. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s hard-line national security minister, has threatened to resign and remove his party from the government if the deal is approved. However, even if his party were to leave the coalition, it is unlikely to prevent the cease-fire from moving forward.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has expressed confidence that the deal will go into effect as planned on Sunday, but the exact timing of the Israeli cabinet meeting is still unclear. The Biden administration has stated that its team is continuing to monitor the situation and work towards a successful implementation of the cease-fire.
The potential delays and complications in finalizing the deal highlight the fragility of the truce and raise concerns about the possibility of further violence. As of now, the Israeli opposition has also pledged to support Mr. Netanyahu’s efforts to secure the deal if necessary.
In the aftermath of the announcement of the cease-fire, there have been conflicting reports about the situation on the ground. While some sources report that celebrations have broken out in the West Bank city of Ramallah, others show images of injured Palestinians in Gaza City and Israeli police dispersing protesters against the deal in Jerusalem.
The proposed cease-fire deal would not only bring an end to the recent violence between Israel and Hamas, but also secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and Palestinians jailed by Israel. However, the current disagreements within the Israeli government serve as a reminder of the complex and delicate nature of the situation.
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