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Far-right Israeli anger as Trump pressures for Gaza ceasefire deal
Israel's far-right is enraged by reports that a Gaza ceasefire and captive release deal is nearing agreement, while US President-elect Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Tel Aviv to accept the deal, further fuelling their anger.
Various reports on Monday said a ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza was imminent, with negotiators meeting in Doha on Tuesday to finalise the terms following a "breakthrough" in talks, according to several US officials.
The news has caused ire among Israel's far-right with extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich stating his Religious Zionism party will not be a part of the truce deal, calling it a "catastrophe for Israel's national security".
According to Israeli media, he dubbed it a "surrender deal that would include releasing terrorists, stopping the war and dissolving the achievements that bought much blood and abandoning many hostages".
He added that rather than agreeing on a truce, it was time to "occupy and cleanse the entire Strip…and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely".
The comments were echoed by Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who threatened to quit the government if the ceasefire deal goes ahead.
Israeli media reports state that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was currently trying to ascertain if Smotrich would resign from the government if the deal goes ahead, and if so, he would try to convince him to at least vote against the agreement without quitting the coalition.
This comes as Ben-Gvir announced on Tuesday that he had sabotaged previous deals, by preventing Netanyahu from agreeing to any terms.
"In the past year, through our political strength, we succeeded in preventing such a deal from being made, time and again," he said.
Various reports also state Trump’s increased pressure on Netanyahu to agree on a deal has angered Israel, by forcing them to accept compromises.
On Saturday, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held a "tense" meeting with Netanyahu where he pressed the latter to accept certain compromises to agree on a deal, ahead of Trump’s inauguration on 20 January.
The terms of the current deal being finalised would make it more difficult for Israel to resume fighting once the initial stage goes into effect. It would also see Israel fully withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor during the first phase, Israeli media reported, which contrasts with earlier Israeli demands.
Trump has repeatedly warned that “all hell” would break loose if captives held in Gaza were not released before he takes office.
Despite this, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is set to lay out a plan for the "day after" in Gaza on Tuesday – including its re-building and governing.
The finalising of the ceasefire deal as Israel continues to pound Gaza, killing scores of Palestinians across the Strip.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed 46,645 Palestinians since 7 October 2023 and wounded over 110,012 others. It has plunged the enclave into a deep humanitarian crisis and destroyed essential infrastructure.