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Two far-right Israeli ministers have threatened to quit if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to a Gaza ceasefire proposal presented by US President Joe Biden on Friday.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said they were against reaching any deal before Hamas was destroyed.
But opposition leader Yair Lapid has vowed to support the government if Netanyahu backs the plan.
The prime minister himself insisted that there would be no permanent ceasefire until Hamas' military and governance capabilities were destroyed and all hostages were released.
Biden's three-part proposal would begin with a six-week ceasefire in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza. The deal would eventually lead to the release of all hostages, a "permanent cessation of hostilities" and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.
But in a social media post on Saturday, Smotrich said he told Netanyahu he "would not be part of a government that agrees to the proposed outline and ends the war without destroying Hamas and returning all the hostages."
Ben-Gvir added that "the agreement means the end of the war and the abandonment of the goal of destroying Hamas. This is a reckless agreement, which constitutes a victory for terrorism and a threat to the security of the state of Israel."
He vowed to "dissolve the government" rather than agree to the proposal.
Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has a slim majority in parliament, relying on a host of factions, including Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudi (Jewish Power) party - which holds six seats - and Smotrich's Religious Zionism party – which holds seven seats – to retain power.
But Yair Lapid, one of Israel's most influential opposition politicians, was quick to offer his support to the embattled prime minister. His Yesh Atid party has 24 seats.
The dispute came as tens of thousands of people rallied in Tel Aviv, calling on the Israeli government to accept Biden's proposed plan. They also demanded Netanyahu's resignation. Clashes broke out between protesters and police, and several demonstrators were reportedly arrested.
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