As U.S. and Egyptian mediators push forward a potential 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, cracks are appearing within the Israeli government. While Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet reportedly greenlit direct negotiations in Doha should Hamas agree to terms, fierce objections are rising from far-right coalition members.
The proposed ceasefire would see the staged release of 28 hostages—10 living and 18 deceased—in return for a pause in fighting, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hamas has also agreed to forgo celebratory public hostage releases, which had previously angered Israel and Western observers.
Despite this progress, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the plan a “surrender,” warning that halting the war without a decisive victory would embolden Hamas. He urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s party to oppose the deal and hinted at withdrawing support from the coalition.
To mitigate internal fallout, Netanyahu’s team is reportedly considering reaching out to Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party in case the far-right abandons the government.
The ceasefire would also include Israeli troop withdrawals to pre-ceasefire lines and uninterrupted UN-coordinated aid into Gaza. A key component is a plan to place Gaza under a politically unaffiliated Palestinian committee, excluding Hamas, post-ceasefire—a condition Netanyahu insists is non-negotiable.
Trump’s influence looms large. After pressuring Israel to stand down during the Iran ceasefire, he’s now leveraging diplomacy to close the Gaza deal. His stern posture appears to have boosted Hamas’s confidence that the U.S. will enforce any agreement reached.
Still, a final deal hinges on unresolved points, including full demilitarization of Hamas and future hostilities. The world now watches whether diplomacy can prevail—or whether internal divisions will unravel the progress already made.
