Israel's cabinet has delayed a crucial vote on the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal until Saturday, with a smaller security cabinet vote now scheduled for Friday, according to reports. Originally planned for Thursday, the full cabinet vote on the agreement will now take place after a meeting of the security cabinet, where the deal will be debated in the interim.
The deal, which aims to resolve the ongoing conflict and secure the release of hostages, has been met with mixed reactions within Israel's political sphere. Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded to the threat by a coalition party to leave the government if the deal is approved. In a statement on social media, Lapid reassured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying, "I say to Benjamin Netanyahu, don't be afraid or intimidated, you will get every safety net you need to make the hostage deal. This is more important than any disagreement we've ever had."
However, opposition from Israel's far-right is mounting. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir strongly criticized the ceasefire deal, describing it as "reckless." In a post on social media, Ben-Gvir argued that the deal would undermine the successes achieved in the war against Hamas, saying it could lead to the release of hundreds of terrorists and allow Hamas to rebuild itself. Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, has threatened to withdraw from the government if the deal proceeds, accusing it of leaving many hostages still in danger.
The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. According to Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesperson, Israeli strikes have killed at least 86 people and injured 258 since the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday. This marks the highest daily death toll in over a week, with 23 children among the casualties. Despite efforts to negotiate peace, the violence shows no signs of abating, and the fate of the remaining hostages remains uncertain.
As political divisions deepen, Israel's cabinet faces significant pressure to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
(ANI inputs)