Israel’s war cabinet erupted in heated debate Sunday over a proposed hostage-ceasefire deal, exposing sharp divides between military leaders and far-right ministers.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir urged ministers to accept Hamas’s latest offer: a 60-day truce and the release of 28 hostages—10 alive and 18 deceased—in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. He argued the IDF’s recent Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which secured most of Gaza, had created the conditions to bring hostages home without weakening Israel’s military position.
Far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, and Orit Strock opposed the deal, warning it would undermine battlefield gains. Strock went so far as to quote scripture accusing Zamir of cowardice, prompting a fiery exchange. Zamir shot back that he had approved recent strikes in Iran and remained committed to defeating Hamas.
Netanyahu sided with the hardliners, refusing to allow a cabinet vote and stressing that only a “comprehensive deal” for all hostages was acceptable. He added that U.S. President Donald Trump had pressed him to reject partial arrangements and push for Hamas’s defeat instead.
Outside the cabinet, protests swelled. Families of hostages accused Netanyahu of burying an opportunity to save lives. Opposition leader Benny Gantz blasted the government for undermining the IDF while ignoring Israel’s mounting diplomatic isolation.
Despite the tensions, Zamir pledged the army would follow government orders, though he warned that missing the current opportunity could cost both hostages’ lives and Israel’s international standing.
