Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir has denounced the truce agreement between Hamas and Israel, arguing that the pause in fighting sets a “dangerous precedent.”
While he admitted that there is an “advantage” to the deal with the return of captives, he said, “we have no right and authority to agree to the idea of separating them and returning only a part”.
“Hamas wanted this time-out more than anything,” he said on X.
“The outline is a dangerous precedent, which changes the equation and may bring more events,” the Minister added.
Ben-Gvir was among the Israeli ministers who voted against the truce deal in a meeting on Tuesday, November 21,2023.
“This decision will cause us great harm for generations,” he was quoted as saying by Israeli media during the government meeting.
Nonetheless, Israel’s President Isaac Hertzog said that “the reservations” regarding the truce agreement and release of Palestinian prisoners “are understandable, painful, and difficult, but given the circumstances, I back and support the decision … to move forward with the deal to release hostages”.
“The state of Israel, the IDF, and all the security forces will continue to act in every way possible to achieve this goal [of getting all captives released], alongside the restoration of the absolute security of the citizens of Israel,” he added.
Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who has been against any form of deal, said that he changed his mind in the national interest of bringing back those who are held captive as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, relatives of those taken captive by Hamas hailed the news of the truce.
“We are very happy that a partial release is pending,” The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
“As of now, we don’t know exactly who will be released when,” it added.
Positive Reactions To Truce
The news of a truce between Israel and Hamas has been lauded by many political and humanitarian figures.
In a post on X, Secretary General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh, said, President Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership welcome the humanitarian truce agreement, adding, “We appreciate the Qatari-Egyptian effort that has been made.”
“We renew the call for a comprehensive cessation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, the introduction of humanitarian aid, and the implementation of a political solution based on international legitimacy, leading to an end to the occupation and the Palestinian people gaining their freedom, independence, and sovereignty.”
Hussein al-Sheikh
Britain welcomed the pause as a “crucial step” towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would use the pause in fighting for a “humanitarian surge to Gaza”.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning said that Beijing hopes the deal “will help alleviate the plight of the humanitarian crisis, promote the de-escalation of conflicts, and ease tensions.”
Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine Director of the Human Rights Watch stated, “Following the mass atrocities of recent weeks, today’s agreement is welcome.”
Nonetheless, he stressed that hostage-taking and blocking of life-saving aid are war crimes “that are never justified.”
He added, “Human beings are not bargaining chips. Ceasefire or not, unlawful attacks should cease once and for all.”
The Kremlin also hailed the temporay ceasefire agreement in Gaza as the “first good news for a long time” in the Israels war on Gaza.
“Russia and most countries in the world have been calling for a ceasefire and for a humanitarian pause. Because it is only on the basis of these kinds of pauses that some outlines of future attempts at a sustainable settlement can be built.”
Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov
U.S Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer said that he was “pleased and relieved” that 50 captives would soon be returning to their families.
He said it was a “positive development” that the pause in fighting would “allow additional humanitarian assistance into Gaza for the millions of innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas.”
Schumer added that the Senate would “continue working to pass additional humanitarian assistance for innocent Palestinians, and make sure that Israel has the aid it needs to defend itself to ensure Hamas can never again pose such a threat to Israel.”
READ ALSO: Strikes Rain On Gaza Amid News Of Truce
