End of the ceasefire?
Strook: Hamas is Running Out of Time
Israel is beginning to lose patience with Hamas as American pressure to move on to Phase II mounts. Minister Orit Strook says the Cabinet will set a deadline for Hamas to comply or return to war, and that their time is running out.
Israeli Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strook said Wednesday that there is broad agreement within the security cabinet that Hamas must be given a clear and imminent deadline, signaling growing pressure within the government to force a decisive outcome in the Gaza war.
Speaking in an interview with journalists Meni Meshy and Erel Goldovitch on Kol Barama radio, Strook said the consensus spans the cabinet’s political spectrum. “There is agreement from one end of the cabinet to the other that a deadline needs to be set for Hamas,” she said. “The understanding is that the deadline will be very fast. I hope it will be set soon, and that it will be close.”
Her remarks come amid mounting frustration in Israel over the prolonged conflict, stalled hostage negotiations, and continued Hamas resistance despite months of intense military operations in Gaza. While senior officials have repeatedly said the war will continue until Hamas is dismantled and the hostages are returned, Strock’s comments suggest an effort to formalize that position into a defined ultimatum.
Israeli officials have not publicly detailed what such a deadline would entail or what consequences would follow if Hamas fails to comply. However, similar rhetoric in recent weeks has been accompanied by warnings of expanded military action, including deeper operations in remaining Hamas strongholds and a reduction in humanitarian pauses if negotiations fail.
The issue of deadlines has been particularly sensitive within the cabinet, where tensions persist between ministers pushing for maximum military pressure and others urging caution due to international constraints and concerns over the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Families of hostages have expressed alarm over talk of ultimatums, fearing it could endanger their loved ones, while hardline ministers argue that continued ambiguity only benefits Hamas.
Strook, a leading figure in the Religious Zionism Party, has consistently advocated for a more forceful approach toward Hamas and has criticized what she describes as hesitation driven by international pressure. Her statement suggests that, at least internally, the cabinet is moving toward a more unified position on escalating pressure.
The Israeli government has not issued an official statement confirming a timeline or deadline. Military and security officials continue to assess operational readiness as the war enters a prolonged and politically fraught phase, with decisions in the coming days likely to shape both the conflict’s trajectory and Israel’s internal political landscape.