The Israeli prime minister has to convince his right-wing base that the arguments he made against ending the war for 15 months no longer apply.

With his far-right coalition partners refusing to end the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may soon have to choose between them or the agreement.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory.