Ben-Gvir Threatens to Oust Netanyahu Over Hamas

By Staff, Agencies

"Israeli" Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned on Thursday that his far-right Jewish Power party would work to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet if it fails to dismantle the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas following the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire.

The statement came just hours before Netanyahu’s cabinet convened to vote on the ceasefire plan and the release of captives as part of the first phase of the agreement.

"If the Hamas government is not dismantled, or if they just claim it has been dismantled while it continues to exist under another guise, the Otzma Yehudit party will topple the [government],” Ben-Gvir declared in a written statement.

While acknowledging support for the release of captives, Ben-Gvir reiterated his party’s opposition to freeing Palestinian detainees.

"Israeli" leaders are expressing sharply differing positions on the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which builds on a 20-point proposal led by United States President Donald Trump and supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

The agreement, which includes the release of Palestinian detainees in exchange for "Israeli" captives, a halt to fighting in Gaza, and "Israeli" withdrawal, has again exposed deep political rifts within Netanyahu’s coalition as he continues to face ongoing corruption trials.

So-called Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a key Netanyahu ally, praised the deal in an Instagram post, highlighting the return of captives.

Levin thanked Netanyahu, "who led the ship in its difficult moments and brought us to the historic moment in which we are now."

He also thanked Trump for his role in bringing the agreement forward. "The agreement includes tough prices," Levin admitted. He said that releasing Palestinian detainees is a "very high price."

"We will continue to work to ensure that Hamas never takes arms and control of the Gaza Strip again," he added.

Far-right leader and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich voiced strong opposition to the deal, citing security concerns over the release of Palestinian detainees.

"We cannot join in the short-sighted celebrations or vote in favor of the deal," he emphasized.

He insisted that "Israel" must continue operations against Hamas after the captives are freed. Smotrich also rejected elements of the US plan calling for international guarantees or steps toward Palestinian statehood, framing them as a return to failed "Israeli" policies.

Settlements Minister Orit Strock, a party ally, added that remaining in an entity she sees as compromising on security and territorial goals is "morally impossible".

"[I don’t] know how it’s morally possible to remain in a [government] that does Oslo III, sends [soldiers] to fight and says — we gave up on these goals," she told "Israeli" news website Ynet.