Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Lapid: Yesh Atid prepared to enter government in place of Ben Gvir, Smotrich to ensure hostages are released
Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset on January 29, 2024 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid tells Channel 12 that Yesh Atid is prepared to enter the government to replace the ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism parties if that is what is needed to secure the release of the hostages from Gaza.
Yesterday, Lapid said his party would provide “a safety net” for the government” after the right-wing parties, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich respectively, sharply criticized the reported deals of a possible hostage deal being examined by Israel and Hamas.
