Otzma Yehudit defends opposition to hostage deal, vows to support government from outside coalition

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party defends its position against the nascent hostage-ceasefire deal, which it says “endangers Israel’s security, undermines the achievements of the war, and constitutes a complete victory for Hamas.”

Responding to a statement released by the ruling Likud party a short while ago, the far-right party reiterates that it will continue to support the coalition, “but we will not sit in a government that makes such immoral agreements.”

Ben Gvir announced this evening that Otzma Yehudit will leave the coalition if the government approves the hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas that was announced yesterday by mediators.

Without the six-strong Otzma Yehudit, Netanyahu’s coalition would still have a majority in the 120-seat Knesset — 62-58.