Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing ahead with plans to reoccupy Gaza, with Israeli media reporting that failure to launch the offensive could trigger the collapse of his governing coalition as far-right ministers threaten to walk away.
The daily Maariv cited an unnamed military source saying Netanyahu is "insisting on moving forward with the offensive Gideon's Chariots 2."
The source added: "He understands that without the operation, he will not be able to maintain government cohesion and it will fall apart."
Far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have threatened to withdraw from Netanyahu's coalition if he agrees to any deal to halt the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza, now approaching 23 months.
Regarding a potential hostage release deal, the military source said Israel was "negotiating according to the plan of (US Middle East envoy) Steve Witkoff two weeks ago to release some captives without ending the war."
