Netanyahu Dissolves War Cabinet Amid Gaza Conflict Turbulence

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disbanded his six-member war cabinet, a move widely anticipated following the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.

Decisions regarding the conflict with Hamas in Gaza will now be made by the existing security cabinet and the larger full cabinet. Eight days ago, Gantz resigned, citing a lack of strategy for the war, prompting calls from far-right ministers to replace him.

By dissolving the war cabinet, Netanyahu sidesteps a potentially contentious situation with coalition partners and international allies. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson clarified that the dissolution would not impact the chain of command.

Gantz and Eisenkot had joined Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition shortly after the war began in October, but both resigned on June 9, criticising Netanyahu’s leadership as obstructive to achieving true victory. Immediately after their resignations, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded inclusion in the war cabinet, but Netanyahu opted to dissolve the body instead of expanding it with new members.

As tensions persist, particularly along the Israel-Lebanon border, efforts to de-escalate and establish a ceasefire in Gaza remain uncertain, with international diplomatic interventions ongoing to mitigate the risk of wider conflict.