Israel’s Netanyahu says cabinet will not meet Thursday for Gaza truce vote

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his cabinet will not meet as scheduled to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, blaming Hamas for causing a “last-minute crisis”.

The Israeli cabinet was set to meet on Thursday morning to ratify the deal, with the ceasefire scheduled to take effect from Sunday.

“Hamas reneges on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last minute concessions,” a statement from Netanyahu said. “The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”

Following the Israeli announcement, senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq said in a statement that the Palestinian group was committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators on Wednesday.

According to Israeli media reports, one of the reasons behind the postponement of the meeting could be that far-right leaders in Israel are against the deal.

Israel’s hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday he would resign from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government if it ratifies the ceasefire deal in Gaza, which he has strongly opposed.

“The deal that is taking shape is a reckless deal,” Gvir said in a televised statement, saying it would “erase the achievements of the war” by releasing hundreds of Palestinian militants and withdrawing from strategic areas in Gaza, leaving Hamas undefeated.

“If this irresponsible deal is approved and implemented, we the members of Jewish Power will submit letters of resignation to the prime minister,” he added.

Ben-Gvir also called for a “complete stop” to all humanitarian aid for Gaza, including fuel, electricity and water, until all captives are released.

The minister, whose departure would not bring down Netanyahu’s government, has also urged far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in resigning if the deal is approved by the cabinet.

Smotrich has described the deal as a “catastrophe” for Israel’s national security and his Religious Zionism has threatened to quit the government if it does not go back to war with Hamas after the first six-week phase of the ceasefire is completed.

Earlier, several Israeli families, together with supporters, staged a sit-in in front of Netanyahu’s office, calling for the cabinet to not sign the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

“Do not sign a deal that means surrender, sacrificing the remaining kidnapped and giving up Israel’s security,” said Yehoshua Shani, the father of Israeli Army Captain Uri Shani, who was killed during the fighting.

“Come here before the cabinet meeting, and join us to ask the prime minister to stop and not sign a surrender deal with Hamas.”