Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his six-member war cabinet following the departure of centrist opposition leader Benny Gantz and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.
Israeli media report that sensitive discussions regarding the war with Hamas in Gaza will now take place within a smaller forum.
Netanyahu faced pressure from far-right ministers in his governing coalition to join the war cabinet, which could have further strained relations with the US and other international allies.
A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the dissolution would not affect the chain of command.
Gantz and Eisenkot resigned over concerns about Netanyahu’s leadership, including the absence of a post-conflict plan for Gaza.
Both former military chiefs had joined a national unity government with Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition shortly after the war began in October.
“The [war] cabinet was in the coalition agreement with Gantz at his request. As soon as Gantz left – there is no need for a cabinet anymore,” Netanyahu informed ministers on Sunday.
According to Haaretz, issues previously discussed by the war cabinet will now be handled by the security cabinet, which includes far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Sensitive decisions will be addressed in a smaller consultation forum expected to include Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Aryeh Deri, the chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.
IDF chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari emphasized that the change would not impact military operations. “Cabinet members are being changed and the method is being changed. We have the echelon, we know the chain of command. We’re working according to the chain of command. This is a democracy,” he told reporters.
The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza to dismantle Hamas in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken.
Since then, over 37,330 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
