Israel’s Ben-Gvir calls US-backed cease-fire with Hezbollah ‘grave mistake’

JERUSALEM

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called Monday a US-backed cease-fire with Hezbollah a “grave mistake.”

In a post on his X account, Ben-Gvir said accepting the US cease-fire proposal would mean missing out on a “historic” opportunity to destroy Hezbollah.

The hardline minister urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “listen to the commanders fighting in the field… precisely now, when Hezbollah is beaten and longs for a cease-fire, it is forbidden to stop.”

“It’s not too late to stop this agreement,” Ben-Gvir said. “We must continue until absolute victory!”

Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz also called on the government to only accept a cease-fire deal with Hezbollah if it grants Israel freedom to act freely against any the Lebanese group.

“We must not return to the reality of October 6,” Gantz said in an address.

“What is clear is that any arrangement must allow the IDF (army) freedom of action, both against immediate threats and against renewed bolstering of Hezbollah.”

Israeli media reported early Monday that a cease-fire deal is expected to be announced between Israel and Hezbollah within two days.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN, citing an Israeli source, said Netanyahu agreed to a US-backed cease-fire with Lebanon.

The report came one day after US envoy Amos Hochstein on Sunday threatened to withdraw from mediation efforts aimed at brokering a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Lebanon if Tel Aviv does not accept a US proposal, according to Israeli media.

Hochstein informed Israel's ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, that if Tel Aviv fails to respond positively to the US cease-fire proposal with Lebanon, Washington will pull out from the mediation process, Israel’s Channel 13 reported.

Israel has escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare with the Lebanese group since the start of the Gaza war last year.

More than 3,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with more than 15,300 injured and over a 1 million displaced since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara