Netanyahu to meet Ben Gvir amid threats of toppling government over ceasefire
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir earlier threatened to leave the coalition if Israel agrees to a longterm ceasefire deal cited by US President Joe Biden
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday, according to Israeli media reports.
Ben Gvir on Sunday called an Israeli ceasefire offer cited by US President Joe Biden a "total defeat," and threatened to leave Netanyahu's government if Israel agrees to the deal.
He was joined by fellow far-right lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, who said he would not be part of a government that agrees to such a deal.
At issue is a phased ceasefire with Palestinian terrorists imprisoned by Israel being exchanged for Israeli hostages kidnapped by Gazan terrorists on October 7.
According to Biden on Friday, the first step in the proposal outlines a prisoner exchange followed by continued negotiations and a pathway to a longterm cessation of hostilities.
This comes as Israel's government is under mounting pressure both domestically and abroad over its operations in the Gaza Strip. As Israel advances in Rafah and continues to assert control over the rest of the Palestinian enclave, Biden has made it clear that the US is pushing for a deal to return Israeli hostages and stop the fighting.
Hamas has said it views the proposal with "positivity," but also stated that it demands the US submits written guarantees that Israel will stand by the agreement.