Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned in protest against the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Sunday.
Ben-Gvir’s far-right, ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party, which holds six seats in the 120-seat Knesset, will leave the governing coalition, according to the reports.
Ben-Gvir had long voiced resistance against a ceasefire deal with Hamas, threatening to exit the government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing religious government will continue to hold a razor-thin majority in parliament despite the exit of Otzma Yehudi with 62 seats.
The premier would lose his majority, however, if Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has also vociferously opposed a ceasefire, were to follow suit.
His Religious Zionism party holds seven seats in the Knesset.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid has announced that he would be willing to provide Netanyahu with a “safety net” in parliament for a hostage deal in such a case.
Following months of stalemate in the 15-month Gaza war, a three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian extremist group Hamas was brokered earlier this week.
The first phase of the deal had been expected to go into effect at 8:30 am (0630 GMT) but there has been a delay due to Hamas failing to provide the names of the three hostages set to be released first, the Israeli military said on Sunday morning.
During an initial six-week pause to fighting, 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza are set to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, while the Israeli army is to withdraw from densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
