00:00 Qatar, Egypt and the United States are all calling on Hamas and Israel to finalize a deal that would bring about a truce in Gaza.
00:07 The mounting diplomatic pressure comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces multiple challenges.
00:14 Families of the hostages being held in Gaza led a huge rally in Tel Aviv urging him to accept any deal that brings home their loved ones.
00:22 And two far-right government ministers are threatening to quit if he agrees to the US-brokered ceasefire plan.
00:29 Let's talk to our correspondent Jonathan Redkiff, standing by for us in Tel Aviv.
00:33 Jonathan, good to talk to you. Big decisions for the Prime Minister now and he's facing increasing pressure from all sides it seems.
00:41 That is correct. As you mentioned, a lot of pressure from family hostages to accept what they define as the Netanyahu deal.
00:52 That is what they call it and you mentioned the Saturday night protests. Another protest is expected at 8 o'clock local time, just about two hours from now, outside the war cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
01:04 Also more pressure coming from abroad as you mentioned, the US, Egypt, Qatar, all saying that both Israel and Hamas should take the deal.
01:12 The Israeli President Isaac Herzog saying this morning that if Netanyahu will go on with this deal, he's backing the president, the Israeli president's backing.
01:24 So a lot of pressure on Netanyahu to accept the deal.
01:28 On the other hand, come the two far-right ministers, B'Tseless Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.
01:34 We've not heard from them during the Jewish Sabbath, but as soon as that ended, that happened last night, they took out some very strong statements opposing this deal,
01:46 saying that this deal is nothing but a complete defeat on behalf of Israel and both are saying loud and clear, saying it once again this morning,
01:56 a government that will accept this deal is a government of which we will not be a part of.
02:01 So Benjamin Netanyahu is caught in between these two crossroads.
02:06 We have to say that for the past nearly eight months since the war began, there have been a couple of crossroads in which Benjamin Netanyahu had to decide
02:15 between international pressure, hostage families, the calls from the opposition for unity, and on the other hand, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir,
02:25 in all of those crossroads, Netanyahu went with his far-right ministers in order to preserve his coalition.
02:32 What will it be this time? Of course, we will have to wait and see.
02:36 We do have to say that the pressures coming from all directions on Netanyahu are bigger now than what they were in previous cases.
02:42 Well, certainly that's true, Jonathan, but we do know that Bibi Netanyahu is a specialist in survival, that he does understand the political system,
02:51 he's worked it well in his entire career, but this time round now he has some real hardliners within his cabinet
03:01 that could make it impossible for him to move in any direction he might want to now.
03:06 When Benjamin Netanyahu formed this government a year and a half ago, the opposition said he's going to be the weakest prime minister ever.
03:16 Why so? Because he's so dependent on far-right elements, and we saw that all along the way becoming absolutely true.
03:25 And this is the case once again now. Benjamin Netanyahu completely depends on his far-right ministers.
03:33 They have 14 seats among the 64-seat coalition. Take away these 14 seats, Benjamin Netanyahu has 50 votes.
03:41 That's without even talking about other internal issues which Netanyahu is facing, issues with the ultra-orthodox, for example,
03:49 which are right now protesting on completely other issues. So Benjamin Netanyahu will have to work around now.
03:55 For years and years, Benjamin Netanyahu was known here in Israel as Mr. Economy, Mr. Security, and Mr. Politician Magician.
04:02 As far as security and economy, since October 7th, those do not exist anymore.
04:09 But magician, politician, that's still around, and will he be able to bring that once again into this reality?
04:16 Of course, we will have to wait and see. Contradicting opinions on both sides, Netanyahu will have to play it one way or another.
04:24 Okay, Jonathan, thanks very much indeed. Jonathan Regev there, live for us here in Tel Aviv.
