Ben Gvir calls on Smotrich to join him in leaving gov't if ceasefire signed

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issued a statement Tuesday to express his strong opposition to a ceasefire and hostage release deal, even calling on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in resigning from the government if such an agreement is signed.

"I call on my friend, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to join me and work together against the deal to surrender to Hamas. I suggest that we go together to the Prime Minister and inform him that if he passes the deal, we will resign from the government."

"The emerging deal is a capitulation to Hamas! I emphasize: even if we're in the opposition, we will not topple the Prime Minister," he said, "but this cooperation is our only way to prevent the capitulation deal, to prevent the disastrous deal, and to ensure that the deaths of hundreds of soldiers were not in vain."

The government is expected to approve the hostage deal today. The BBC published new details Tuesday morning about the hostage deal being negotiated between Israel and Hamas. The agreement is expected to include the release of three hostages on the first day, and a week later, four more will be released.

As part of the deal, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 190 who have been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison. In return, Hamas will release 34 hostages. In the first stage of the agreement, which will last 42 days, IDF forces will remain in the Philadelphi  Corridor and guard a buffer zone of around half a mile along the borders of the Palestinian enclave. Gradually, the abductees will be released and Israel will withdraw from Gaza.