Last week, dozens of coffins covered with the Israeli flag were placed in front of the office of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. They were placed there by demonstrators who protested against the truce and the hostage agreement, demanding a military victory in Gaza.
A week ago, after several delays, a three-stage ceasefire plan came into effect. The gradual release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners began. On January 25, four hostages were released, including Daniela Gilboa, who has Bulgarian roots.
However, the agreement divides Israeli society into supporters and opponents. Throughout the conflict, the Israeli government, starting with Netanyahu, has consistently emphasized that one of the main goals of the military operation is to neutralize Hamas in Gaza, the terrorist organization whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, led to the start of the Gaza war. However, this neutralization has not yet been achieved.
"Reward" for Hamas?
For opponents of the ceasefire, the agreement represents a capitulation to Hamas. Thus, the group's violent tactics have been rewarded. According to a poll conducted in January by the Israeli newspaper "Maariv", 19 percent of Israelis are against the agreement with Hamas, which includes the return of the hostages.
Avi, who is currently serving in the military, is one of the opponents of the agreement. He says he feels sympathy for the hostages and their families, but is convinced that defeating Hamas is much more important. He told DW that Israeli society should debate what price it is willing to pay for the hostages' freedom.
Lawyer Ariel is also against the agreement. "Many of the released prisoners will return to terrorism, and this will take more Israeli lives", he is convinced. The lawyer also believes that such agreements would encourage militant groups to take more hostages to achieve their goals. "Hamas' ideology is murderous. They will continue in the same way as long as they have the territory."
Most Israelis support the ceasefire
According to another survey conducted by the Israel Institute for Democracy think tank, 57 percent of the country's residents support the agreement, which provides for the release of all hostages and an end to the fighting in Gaza.
Supporters of the agreement do not believe it is perfect, but at least it gives hope that the hostages will return home. Eshel, who is among the supporters, told DW: "We can only hope for the best. And that the agreement will reach its second phase.
Right-wing extremists in the cabinet want the war to continue
The remaining 64 hostages must be released during the second phase of the ceasefire. How it will proceed has yet to be agreed. The goal is to establish a lasting ceasefire.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist Party has already said that he will leave the government if it stops pursuing its goal of defeating Hamas in the war. Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was Minister of National Security until Sunday, has already left the ruling coalition along with his ultra-nationalist party "Jewish Power" and promised that he would return only if the war was resumed.
"Netanyahu refuses to acknowledge what every Israeli knows - that the agreement has a price, and it is high. The head of the nation must recognize this price and accept it," Israeli commentator Nahum Barnea wrote in the "Yediot Ahronot" newspaper regarding the prime minister's coalition partners. Supporters of the deal have long accused Netanyahu, who faces corruption charges, of delaying the ceasefire and the return of the hostages to ensure his political survival and preserve his coalition.
Will Netanyahu's government fall?
After the release of the first hostages, of whom Netanyahu said: "The whole nation embraces you", Israeli journalist Sima Kadmon wrote the following: "We know for how many months they remained senselessly captive because of your hesitation, rejection, cowardice, and because you succumbed to the threats of Ben-Gvir, who later admitted that he successfully delayed the hostage agreement for months for political reasons."
It is not yet clear whether Netanyahu's coalition government will stumble in the second phase of the agreement, but it could mark the beginning of its end. Opposition parties have said that if Smotrich leaves the government, they will make efforts to keep the cabinet in place for the duration of the various phases of the agreement. However, new elections could be held after that.
Supporters of the agreement have a hard time accepting Netanyahu's political calculations. Michael, who is close to them and whose sons are among the hostages, says: "We must protest so that a full agreement can be negotiated and all the hostages can be released. All agreements must be respected, because if this is not done, only some of the hostages will be released."
Author: Tanya Kremer