Far-right allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pressuring him to reject a ceasefire with Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip. If Netanyahu backs down from an assault on Hamas in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, it could jeopardize the stability of his government. Hamas representatives are scheduled to meet in Cairo on Monday as mediators intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire deal before Israel launches a threatened attack on Rafah. However, Israel insists that four battalions of Hamas are entrenched in the area and will be attacked after civilians are evacuated. Despite international pressure to scrap the assault plans due to fears of high civilian casualties, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is urging Netanyahu not to back away. Smotrich warned that if Netanyahu fails to eliminate Hamas, “a government headed by you will have no right to exist.” Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir echoed Smotrich’s sentiments, stating that an irresponsible deal would lead to the government’s dissolution. Benny Gantz, a centrist former defense minister who joined Netanyahu’s emergency war cabinet, countered that prioritizing the release of hostages held by Hamas should take precedence over an assault on Rafah. Gantz argued that rejecting a responsible deal would strip the government of legitimacy, given its security failure on October 7th and the public’s demand for the return of hostages. Protests over the conduct of the war have escalated in light of the devastating impact on the Gaza Strip and the displacement of thousands of Israelis. Families of hostages have criticized Netanyahu for prioritizing his political survival over their loved ones’ fate.