The Trump factor:
Despite those threats to his rule, Netanyahu looks to be pressing ahead.

The planned beginning of the ceasefire comes a day before the deadline set by incoming United States President-elect Donald Trump, Monday being the day of his inauguration.

The Israeli far right had seen Trump – a pro-Israel Republican who plans to bring several politicians with strong ties to the Israeli settler movement into his administration – as their man, a president who would look the other way as the movement fulfils its dream of building illegal settlements in Gaza and forcing out its population.

For now that appears to not be the case, and Trump has emphasised that he wants an end to the war before he takes office.

While on first reading that could be a negative for Netanyahu, perceptions that the Trump administration may have forced his hand, can be politically useful to the Israeli prime minister in the short term, allowing him more room to manoeuvre in the future.

“This may be more transactional than many suppose,” Mairav Zonszein, an Israel expert with the International Crisis Group, said, suggesting that the hand of Israel’s longest serving leader might not be so easily forced.

“By agreeing now, Netanyahu may have bought himself greater freedom to act in the West Bank and in determining whatever future that is agreed for Gaza,” she said, referring to far-right Israeli plans to annex the occupied Palestinian territory, which is dotted with Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.

“Everybody knew that, at some point, the captives would have to be exchanged. That was always the case."
For many people, that’s not even a security issue.