Key member of Israel's war cabinet threatens resignation over war strategy in Gaza
Gantz's departure would leave Netanyahu more beholden to far-right allies
Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's three-man war cabinet, has threatened to resign from the government if it doesn't adopt a new plan for the war — a move that would leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more reliant on his far-right allies.
His announcement escalates a divide within Israel's leadership more than seven months into a war that has yet to accomplish its stated goals of dismantling Hamas and returning scores of hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack.
Gantz spelled out a six-point plan that includes the return of scores of hostages, ending Hamas's rule, demilitarizing the Gaza strip and establishing an international administration of civilian affairs. It also supports efforts to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia.
He said if it is not adopted by June 8, he will quit the government: "If you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss, we will be forced to quit the government," Gantz said.
Netanyahu in a statement reported by Israeli media, responded by saying Gantz had chosen to issue an ultimatum to the prime minister instead of to Hamas, and called his conditions "euphemisms" for Israel's defeat.
Gantz, a popular politician and longtime political rival of Netanyahu, joined his coalition and the war cabinet in the early days of the war.
The departure of the former military chief of staff and defence minister would leave Netanyahu even more beholden to far-right allies, who have taken a hard line on negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release, and who believe Israel should occupy Gaza and build Jewish settlements there.
Gantz spoke days after Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, the third member of the war cabinet, said he would not remain in his post if Israel elected to reoccupy Gaza. Gallant also called on the government to make plans for Palestinian administration of the enclave.
In what will be seen by many as a swipe at Netanyahu, Gantz said that "personal and political considerations have begun to penetrate into the holy of holies of Israel's security." Netanyahu's critics accuse the prime minister of seeking to prolong the war to avoid new elections, allegations he denies.
Polls suggest Netanyahu would be replaced in elections, with Gantz the most likely candidate to be the next prime minister. That would expose Netanyahu to prosecution on long-standing corruption charges.
"The people of Israel are watching you," Gantz said in his prime-time address to Netanyahu.
Mounting pressure on Netanyahu
Netanyahu is under growing pressure on multiple fronts. Hard-liners in his government want the military offensive on Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah to press ahead with the goal of crushing Hamas.
Top ally the United States and others have warned against the offensive on a city where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million had sheltered — hundreds of thousands have now fled — and they have threatened to scale back support over Gaza's humanitarian crisis.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan will be in Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend to discuss the war and is scheduled on Sunday to meet with Netanyahu, who has declared that Israel would "stand alone" if needed.
Many Israelis, anguished over the hostages and accusing Netanyahu of putting political interests ahead of all else, want a deal to stop the fighting and get them freed. There was fresh frustration on Friday when the military said its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three hostages killed by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack. The discovery of the body of a fourth hostage was announced on Saturday.
Thousands of Israelis again rallied Saturday evening to demand a deal along with new elections.
The latest talks in pursuit of a ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, U.S. and Egypt, have produced little. A vision beyond the war is also uncertain.
Israel takes over some ground in Rafah
Meanwhile, Israeli troops and tanks pushed on Saturday into parts of a congested northern Gaza Strip district that they had previously skirted, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, medics and residents said.
Israel's forces also took over some ground in Rafah, a southern city next to the Egyptian border that is packed with displaced people and where the launch this month of a long-threatened incursion to crush holdouts of Hamas has alarmed Cairo and Washington.
In what Israeli media said was the result of intelligence gleaned during the latest incursions, the military announced the recovery of the body of a man who was among more than 250 hostages seized by Hamas in a cross-border rampage on Oct. 7 that triggered the war.
Ron Binyamin's remains were located along with those of three other slain hostages whose repatriation was announced on Friday, the military said, without providing further details. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.
Israel has conducted renewed military sweeps this month of parts of northern Gaza, where it had declared the end of major operations in January. At the time, it also predicted its forces would return to prevent a regrouping by the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza.
One site has been Jabalia — the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps. On Saturday, troops and tanks edged into streets so far spared the ground offensive, residents said. In one strike, medics said, 15 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded.
The Gaza Health Ministry and the Civil Emergency Service said teams received dozens of calls about possible casualties but were unable to carry out any searches because of the ongoing ground offensive and the aerial bombardment.
The Israeli military said its forces have continued to operate in areas across the Gaza Strip, including Jabalia and Rafah, carrying out what it called "precise operations against terrorists and infrastructure."
Rising death toll
Armed wings of Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and Fatah said fighters attacked Israeli forces in Jabalia and Rafah with anti-tank rockets, mortar bombs and explosive devices already planted in some of the roads, killing and wounding many soldiers.
Israel's military said 281 soldiers have been killed in fighting since the first ground incursions in Gaza on Oct 20.
At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, according to figures from the enclave's Health Ministry, while aid agencies have warned repeatedly of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies.
In the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, about 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies, and about 125 people are still being held in Gaza.
With files from Reuters