
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatening to leave the coalition over the hostage deal with the Hamas terrorist organization currently under consideration.
In an interview with Galai Tzahal (IDF Radio), Ben-Gvir stated, “The terms that are currently being discussed are irrelevant as far as I am concerned, and the prime minister very much does not want Otzma Yehudit to leave the government."
Hamas has signaled a greater willingness to reach a deal with Israel since the ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist organization went into effect on Wednesday.
Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported last night (Saturday) that a senior Israeli official said Israel has "indications" that Hamas is "willing to be more flexible on several of the sticking points in the negotiations, including the timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border."
"Hamas is signaling that it is ready to make some compromises, but they want to see such Israeli willingness too. Hamas wants to push for a deal, but they want Israel to show more flexibility," the official told Ravid.
Israel has said that it will not give up control of the Philadelphi Corridor, due to the need to ensure no weapons are smuggled from Egypt to Hamas in Gaza. Hamas, however, has insisted that Israel must fully withdraw from all of Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor.