From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Gantz suggests he’ll join Lapid in helping coalition clinch Gaza deal if needed
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Following reports that far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet will try to thwart the emerging ceasefire and hostage release deal being pushed by the Trump administration, Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz appears to join Opposition Leader Yair Lapid in offering the premier a political safety net to advance an agreement.
“There is no bloc in the world that will stop the return of the hostages,” he states in a video message posted to social media. “Netanyahu, petty politics will not be an obstacle to historic moves. You have a large majority to return the hostages, both among the people and in the Knesset.”
Lapid had reached out to Netanyahu to offer support for a ceasefire after reports claimed that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had discussed forming a united bloc within the government against the deal.
Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit and Smotrich’s Religious Zionism have 13 votes between them, whereas Yesh Atid has 23.
In a statement released via Smotrich’s spokesman, the finance minister denied any such cooperation and instead accused Ben Gvir of playing “a game” via leaks to the media.
The Times of Israel Community.