Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has proudly declared that he has used his power to prevent any captive release agreement from taking place over the past year, has declared the current deal on the table “terrible” and insisted he and his party will quit the government if it is implemented.

But that won’t be enough to bring the Netanyahu government down.
Ben-Gvir needs the backing of his fellow far-right traveller Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionism party.

Smotrich appears willing to go ahead with the deal but only in its first phase, which would see the release of some of the Israeli captives.

After that, Religious Zionism has said its members would resign from the government unless the war on Gaza – which has so far killed more than 46,700 Palestinians (according to Hamas run Health Ministry) – continues.