Spoilers Will Try To Wreck The Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Deal

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will be signed and sealed after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet approves it later on Thursday. Yet there are already powerful ministers opposing the pact. Meanwhile, Israel is making use of the hours before the ceasefire comes into effect to continue its deadly attack on Gaza. Israeli attacks were reported from Gaza City and Khan Younis even after the announcement that a ceasefire agreement had been reached. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had hailed the agreement and said in a post on X, saying it is "a great day for Israel" and thanked US President Donald Trump and his team for their efforts in securing the release of captives.

The Far-Right ministers in his government are opposing the ceasefire, as they see this as an opportunity to fulfil the Biblical promise of creating  a Greater Israel. With Israel having the upper hand in the war and establishing its military superiority in the region, now is not the time to give in to calls for a ceasefire, the orthodox Right supporters say. This section will oppose the ceasefire tooth and nail.

Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said he opposed the Gaza ceasefire deal and said he would vote against it. "There is immense fear of the consequences of emptying the prisons and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders who will do everything to continue to pour rivers of Jewish blood here, God forbid," Smotrich said on X. "For this reason alone, we cannot join in short-sighted celebrations or vote in favour of the deal."

On Wednesday, Itamar Ben Gvir, the national security minister, knowing full well that talks to end the war were on in Egypt, tried to sabotage the effort by  leading a number of Israeli settlers to offer  prayers at the compound housing the  Al Asqa Mosque complex in Jerusalem.

“We are now two years since the terrible massacre… Every house in Gaza has a picture of the Temple Mount, and now, two years later, we are victorious on the Temple Mount, we are the landlords on the Temple Mount,” the minister said.  The minister shared footage showing him leading morning prayers. 

There will be such attempts by the far-right orthodox groups to sabotage the talks.

Yet spoilers will not get much leeway for the moment. The first part of the 20-point US peace plan that involves freeing the remaining hostages will go through. Trouble will begin only after the hostages are back home. 

“The Israeli hostages will be freed over the weekend with Trump and Netanyahu maximising the photo-ops. After that, the Palestinian activists will be released and Israel will withdraw its forces to the minimum possible distance,’’ says former ambassador KP Fabian, who follows the Middle East closely. 

“Netanyahu is likely to renege. He might even engineer attacks by Gazans, if necessary, by bribing them. Netanyahu is determined to exert his utmost for his Greater Israel Project,’’ Ambassador Fabian says. 

“Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Pakistan are likely to send forces to Gaza,” to monitor the ceasefire, he adds. But for now, the first hurdle has to be crossed and the ceasefire implemented.