Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the six-member war cabinet following the resignation of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot. Since Mr. Gantz’s departure, far-right ministers have called for his replacement, prompting Mr. Netanyahu to dissolve the war cabinet to avoid a complex situation with his coalition partners and international allies.
The dissolution of the war cabinet will not affect the chain of command according to a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The security cabinet and the full cabinet will now make decisions about the war with Hamas in Gaza.
Sensitive decisions that were previously discussed by the war cabinet will be transferred for discussion in the 14-member security cabinet, which includes far-right ministers. Additionally, a smaller consultation forum, expected to include key ministers, will address sensitive issues.
The Israeli military’s introduction of daytime “tactical pauses” near the southern Gaza city of Rafah to allow more deliveries of humanitarian aid has caused strain within the government. Far-right ministers criticized this decision, creating confusion over the ground situation.
The IDF is continuing intelligence-based, targeted operations in the area of Rafah, while warnings from the Israeli military suggest that the conflict with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah could spiral into a wider war.
The dissolution of the war cabinet by Prime Minister Netanyahu, prompted by the resignation of Benny Gantz, has led to a shift in decision-making authority regarding the war with Hamas in Gaza and has raised concerns about the potential escalation of conflicts with other groups.