Gaza ceasefire traps Netanyahu between Trump and far-right allies

Coalition partners insist on continuing war, while US wants to build on the momentum

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Even before it was signed, the Gaza ceasefire forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a tight spot between a new US president promising peace and far-right allies who want war to resume. That tension is only likely to increase.

The stakes for Mr Netanyahu are high - keeping his coalition government on the one hand, and on the other, satisfying US President Donald Trump, who wants to use the ceasefire momentum to expand Israel's diplomatic ties in the Middle East.

One of Mr Netanyahu's nationalist allies has already quit over the Gaza ceasefire and another is threatening to follow unless war on Hamas is resumed at an even greater force than that which devastated much of Gaza for 15 months.

The clock is ticking. The first stage of the ceasefire is meant to last six weeks.

By day 16 (Feb 4), Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas are due to start negotiating the second phase of the ceasefire, whose stated aim is to end the war.

Former police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party quit the government on Jan 19, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he will stay in government only if war resumes after the first phase until the total defeat of Hamas, whose Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the war.