Location at a glance: Netanyahu rival wants to be a common coalition for Geisel-Deal

The Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz proposes a joint transitional government to the head of government Benjamin Netanyahu under pressure in order to achieve the release of the hostages in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu has so far been dependent on right -wing extremist coalition partners for his political survival, which strictly reject an agreement with the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas via a ceasefire.

Members of the hostages also confirmed their demand for a ceasefire together with thousands of demonstrators in the Israeli coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv and other places in the country and warned that the planned intake of the city of Gaza threatened the life of hostages. “There is an agreement on the table,” said the brother of two kidnapped according to the media. This could be the last chance to save life.

Gantz: Israel is at the crossroads

The hostages are in mortal danger, “their time is running,” said Gantz. With a view of video recordings from hostages emaciated to the bones, the opposition politician recalled his mother Malka, a survival of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. “My mother taught me that life is something holy”. Israel is at a crossroads, said Gantz.

The former Defense Minister had left Netanyahu’s government in 2024 after disagreements. Now he asked other opposition politicians to join him for half a year of a “government to release the hostages”. This must begin with an agreement that makes all 50 hostages – including 20 living – home. There must be a new election in the coming spring, said Gantz.

However, the chances of such a alliance are extremely low. “If Netanyahu does not agree, we know that we did everything,” said Gantz. It was initially unclear how Netanyahu would react to his move. According to the media, the right-wing extremist Finance Minister Bezhalel Bezalel Smotrich is said to have said to have said that he would leave the government if Netanyahu agreed to a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

According to the news page “Ynet”, the security cabinet meets on Tuesday in order to finally coordinate the operations plans to take the city of Gaza. In addition, it will be about the state of indirect negotiations on an agreement on the release of the hostages in which the USA, Qatar and Egypt act as an intermediary. Hamas had said on Monday that it agreed to a new agent proposal for a ceasefire.

According to media reports, this is an adapted version of a previously negotiated proposal by the US specialist Steve Witkoff. This provides for a 60-day ceasefire, while the ten-living hostages are released in return for Palestinian prisoners.

Relatives of Hamas-Geiseln demand ceasefire

Netanyahu has already approved the plan to take Gaza, but at the same time promised new negotiations with Hamas. He ordered “immediately taking negotiations on the release of all of our hostages and the end of the war on conditions that are acceptable for Israel,” he said recently. He did not go into the Hamas offer.

“Our children have been captured in Gaza for 687 days,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, before the military headquarters in Tel Aviv. “I contact the people of Israel: Netanyahu can still sign a deal that brings ten living hostages back and 18 corpses,” said Zangauker. If the prime minister does this, he could immediately negotiate the return of the remaining hostages in return for an end to the war, she said.

Rescue of the hostages “now or never”

The woman accused the Prime Minister of torpedoing an agreement with Hamas: “Instead of agreeing to a deal, he gallops in the direction of taking Gaza.” Netanyahu condemn the hostages to death and the people of Israel to an eternal, unnecessary war. “We only stay a few more days to stop this,” said Zangauker. “When Gaza begins, there will be no deal. It is now or never.”

Israeli soldiers had already advanced to the suburbs of the coastal city. Palestinian eyewitnesses have now reported that soldiers were also spotted in the Sabra district, especially near a school building. Israeli ground forces had been in use in the district since the beginning of the Gaza War almost two years ago. On request, the Israeli army announced that one was not expressed on the positions of their soldiers.

Aid organizations warn of consequences of an offensive

With the beginning of the actual offensive, according to Israeli media reports, it is expected in September at the earliest. The city’s evacuation is previously planned, in which, according to estimates, around one million people are. Aid organizations warn of a further deterioration in the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in the sealed coastal strip, in which a total of around two million Palestinians live.

The IPC initiative recognized worldwide as an authority for nutritional security declared a famine for the city of Gaza and some neighboring towns. Israel’s Premier Netanyahu described the report as “smooth lie”. According to Israeli representation, the IPC assessment is based on the false information of Hamas.