Otzma Yehudit chair MK Itamar Ben-Gvir appealed to Religious Zionist Party leader Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in opposing a hostage deal that would include a ceasefire in Gaza, N12 reported on Wednesday.
National Security Minister Ben-Gvir’s reported plea to Smotrich follows US President Donald Trump’s claim that Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and hostage release.
However, sources close to the RZP leader said that the Otzma Yehudit head had not approached him on the matter and that the meeting was never scheduled, local media reported.
“The issue of victory in Gaza is far too significant, and the lives of the hostages are far too precious, to play media briefing games. The finance minister has been working on this matter with full force and the utmost seriousness for quite some time,” the source said.
Ben-Gvir opposes reaching a deal that would end the war in Gaza and believes that combining the political power of Otzma Yehudit and the RZP would prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from moving forward on the deal, N12 reported.
The ministers had run together in the last election.
Smotrich said on Monday that he would oppose any agreements that would include ending the fighting in Gaza.
Ben-Gvir’s offer to the finance minister also follows recent political maneuvers in the opposition, including speculation that National Unity chairman MK Benny Gantz could join Netanyahu’s bloc in the case of a ceasefire deal.
Opposition and coalition responses to Ben-Gvir's move
Opposition head and Yesh Atid chief MK Yair Lapid on Wednesday offered Netanyahu “a safety net for a hostage deal” with his party should Ben-Gvir and Smotrich oppose a deal.
“Netanyahu, against the 13 fingers of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, you have my 23 fingers for a safety net for a hostage deal. We need to bring them all home now.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar issued support for a deal in a post to X/Twitter, saying, “There is a great majority in the government and also among the people for a framework to release hostages.”
“If there is an opportunity to do so, we must not miss it!”