Far-right Israeli ministers threaten government dissolution if Netanyahu agrees to Biden's Gaza proposal

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli far-right ministers threatened to dissolve the government Saturday if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to US President Joe Biden's proposal for the Gaza Strip

Minister of National Security Itmar Ben-Gvir threatened on X “to dissolve the government if Netanyahu agreed to a cease-fire deal announced by Biden.”

And Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened his resignation from the government if the war is ended “without eliminating Hamas,” Israeli Channel 12 reported.

US President Joe Biden said Friday that Israel presented the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, with a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in the besieged Gaza Strip and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave.

Biden appealed to Hamas to accept the deal and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resist pressure from members of his governing coalition opposed to the plan.

Netanyahu's office reiterated Friday his intention to continue the country's offensive in Gaza until all of Tel Aviv's war goals are achieved.

Hamas said it would "respond positively to any proposal that includes a permanent cease-fire, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction efforts, the return of the displaced, and the completion of a comprehensive hostage exchange deal."

Since Oct. 7, Israel has pounded Gaza in retaliation for an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas which killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its onslaught nearly eight months ago. Most of those killed have been women and children, with over 82,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid Israel's crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war.