10 coalition members oppose agreement with Hamas in letter to Netanyahu

Ten members of the governing coalition sent a letter on Monday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing their strong opposition to the hostage release and ceasefire deal currently being negotiated with Hamas, under the mediation of the United States and Qatar.

The vehement letter, the content of which was revealed Monday Israeli media, was signed by members of the right-wing coalition. "Do not cross the most fundamental moral lines, do not endanger Israel's security," the letter urged Netanyahu.

The signatories of the letter are Amit Halevi, Hanoch Milikowsky, Moshe Saada, Tsega Melko, Avichai Buaron, Dan Illouz and Moshe Passal from Likud; Limor Son Har-Melech and Yitzhak Kroizer from Otzma Yehudit; and Simcha Rothman from Religious Zionism.

Earlier in the day, Reuters reported that a final version of the agreement had been sent to Hamas and Israel for approval. This progress follows overnight discussions between Mossad head Dedi Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, and US President-Elect Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.

Shortly after the letter was released, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich harshly criticized the deal under consideration. "This agreement is a disaster for Israel's national security," he said. "We will not endorse a capitulation agreement that includes the release of major terrorists, the cessation of war, and the abandonment of its hard-won achievements paid for in blood, as well as the abandonment of many hostages."

Opposition lawmakers, meanwhile, voiced support for the deal, stating that they would provide a political safety net for Netanyahu to ratify the document in Israel's parliament, the Knesset.