Consider this from NPR: NPR

Israelis rejoiced in Tel Aviv after learning that four of the hostages kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas attacks had been rescued by an Israeli special forces operation in Gaza. The operation killed more than 270 Palestinians and injured 700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Although it was also a moment of triumph for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the largest recovery of live hostages since the war began eight months ago, his celebration was short-lived .

Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel's unity war cabinet, announced his resignation on Sunday over Netanyahu's handling of the Gaza war. Gantz said part of his resignation was because Netanyahu prioritized his own political survival over the fate of the hostages in captivity.

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How this complicates a ceasefire agreement.

To begin with, Gantz was a moderating voice within the war cabinet.

After his resignation, Netanyahu will be even more reliant on far-right members of his coalition, who have staunchly opposed efforts to broker a ceasefire.

And although Hamas has said it is open to what is outlined in the US ceasefire proposal, the large number of Palestinians killed in the hostage release could make it more difficult for Hamas to reach an agreement. once all is said and done.

Joining us are NPR international correspondent Daniel Estrin and State Department correspondent Michele Kelemen. Consider this welcome Mary Louise Kelly to explain how the future of a ceasefire still remains uncertain.

Estrin explained that Israel's military advances in Rafah are what prompted Israel to propose a ceasefire agreement.

“[It has] only reinforced the fact that the military cannot free all the hostages in this type of special operations rescue. And the only way to get all the hostages out alive, as even the military spokesperson himself said, is to make a deal with Hamas. »

Estrin adds that to reach an agreement, Netanyahu would have to take the political risk necessary to accept the ceasefire agreement, despite the fierce opposition of his far-right political partners to any agreement that does not result in the destruction of Hamas. But with the election looming and Gantz resigning, that seems unlikely to happen.

“As for Hamas,” Estrin said, “their position remains this: They will not accept a ceasefire agreement with Israel until there is a guarantee that Israel actually means that this will be the end of the war.

What the United States is currently doing.

On Saturday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan praised Israel for rescuing the hostages, but also stressed that all remaining hostages could be released if a deal was reached.

“The hostage release and ceasefire agreement that is now on the table would guarantee the release of all remaining hostages as well as security guarantees for Israel and aid to innocent civilians in Gaza,” Sullivan said in a press release.

In May, President Biden outlined a three-phase approach to ending the war:

• It would start with a six-week ceasefire and the release of some Israeli hostages.
• Israel is also expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. This figure still needs to be negotiated.
• Then Israel and Hamas would negotiate a permanent ceasefire and Israel would withdraw from Gaza.

Kelemen explains that implementing this plan will require complex political maneuvering by U.S. officials:

“Hamas wants a guarantee of all this now, but this is a gradual approach with many potential pitfalls and no guarantees. So what Blinken is trying to do is get more countries to apply pressure on Hamas so that it accepts it.”

The United States also presented this plan to the UN Security Council on Monday afternoon and received almost unanimous support, which the United States says sends a clear message to Hamas to accept the agreement and that Hamas and Israel begin to implement it. And part of that implementation could involve pressuring Israel to agree sooner, Kelemen says.

“In a way, the United States is trying to box Israel in. If the UN Security Council and much of the world now support this plan and pressure Hamas to go along with it, it “It will be harder for Netanyahu not to at least start this process,” she said.

This episode was produced by Connor Donevan and Noah Caldwell. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and James Hider. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.