Silence in the Bunker: Netanyahu Muzzles Ministers on Ceasefire Talks

According to Saed News, in a rare show of disciplinary fervor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his war cabinet ministers to “keep quiet” on all matters relating to the alleged ceasefire between Israel and Iran. The directive came during a four-hour session on Monday evening, convened in response to President Trump’s assertion that “within hours” a truce would be in effect.

Mr. Trump and his adviser, Senator J.D. Vance, have both touted a deal that would end the so-called “12-day war,” crediting U.S. and Qatari mediation. Western outlets, notably Reuters and Axios, have echoed these claims, reporting that intensive shuttle diplomacy in Doha and Washington has produced a framework for de-escalation.

Yet, neither Israeli nor Iranian officials have publicly acknowledged the ceasefire reports. By gagging his own ministers, Mr. Netanyahu appears determined to control the narrative until hard facts replace diplomatic conjecture. The move underscores the deep sensitivities surrounding any agreement that would see Iran’s retaliatory strikes and Israel’s counter-offensive paused, even temporarily.

For Mr. Netanyahu, the risk of mixed messages is acute. A premature admission of truce could be interpreted domestically as a capitulation, while denial might derail negotiations. By imposing a cabinet silence, he has bought time to gauge the substance of the purported deal—and to manage political fallout at home.

In practical terms, the order has left Israel’s parliament and security establishment in a holding pattern. Intelligence briefings continue behind closed doors, but the public record remains conspicuously blank. Should the ceasefire materialize, it will mark a dramatic pivot—from kinetic confrontation to a fragile détente—one that Mr. Netanyahu seems keen to announce on his own terms.