Itamar Ben-Gvir Opposes Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Without Hamas Disarmament and Prisoner Return
A senior Israeli cabinet official has opposed the initiation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, making it conditional on the complete disarmament of Hamas and the return of the last Israeli prisoner. According to the Palestinian Information Center, Israel’s Radio and Television Corporation reported that Itamar Ben-Gvir, the country’s far-right Minister of Internal Security, insists that Tel Aviv should not enter the second phase of the ceasefire until the body of the last Israeli prisoner is retrieved from Gaza. Ben-Gvir, a staunch opponent of halting the war in Gaza, further claimed that, in general, no political or security actions should be taken before Hamas is fully disarmed. The Israeli official also expressed hope that Benjamin Netanyahu would reject any involvement or role for Turkey in the Gaza Strip, a position that could add to the political and diplomatic complexities surrounding the region’s future.
