An Israeli war cabinet member says he will leave the government on June 8 unless a new war plan is adopted

Benny GantzA centrist member of Israel’s three-member war cabinet threatened on Saturday to resign from the government if it did not adopt a new plan within three weeks. The war in GazaIt is a move that would make Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more dependent on him Allies of the extreme right.

Announcement It exacerbates the division within the Israeli leadership After more than seven months of war in which it has not yet achieved its declared goals of dismantling Hamas and returning dozens of hostages who were kidnapped in the October 7 attack.

Gantz put forward a six-point plan that includes: Dozens of hostages returnEnding Hamas’ rule, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, and establishing an international administration for civil affairs. It also supports efforts to normalize relations with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He says if it is not approved by June 8, he will resign from the government. “If you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation into the abyss, we will be forced to leave the government,” he said.

Gantz, a popular politician and longtime political rival of Netanyahu. Join his coalition And the War Cabinet in the first days of the war.

The departure of the former military chief of staff and defense minister would leave Netanyahu even more beholden to his far-right allies who have taken a hard line in negotiations over a ceasefire and hostage release, and who believe Israel should occupy Gaza and rebuild the Jews. settlements there.

Gantz spoke days after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the third member of the war cabinet, publicly said he had repeatedly appealed to the cabinet to make a decision on… A post-war vision in Gaza This would lead to the establishment of a new Palestinian civilian leadership.

Netanyahu is under increasing pressure on multiple fronts. The hardliners in his government want to launch a military attack on Gaza The city of Rafah in the south To advance the goal of crushing Hamas. The United States and other major allied countries warned against attacking the city More than half of Gaza’s population 2.3 million people have taken shelter – and hundreds of thousands have now fled – and are threatened to do so Reducing support Regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

US National Security Advisor, Jake SullivanHe will visit Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend to discuss the war and is scheduled to meet on Sunday with Netanyahu, who declared that Israel will “stand alone” if necessary.

Many Israelis, who are concerned about the hostages and accuse Netanyahu of putting political interests above all else, want an agreement to stop the fighting and release them. There was new frustration on Friday when the army said its forces in Gaza had found the bodies of three hostages killed by Hamas in the October 7 attack.

The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it had done so Recover The body of the fourth hostage, Ron Benjamin. According to the Israel Defense Forces, Benjamin is believed to have been killed during the October 7 attack, and his body was transported to Gaza by Hamas militants.

Benjamin, 53, left behind a wife and two children, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group.

Latest conversations on Seeking a ceasefireThe talks brokered by Qatar, the United States and Egypt achieved little. The post-war vision is also uncertain.

The war began after an October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage. Israel says it is estimated that there are now 128 hostages still being held in Gaza.

The Israeli attack happened Kill more Local health officials say more than 35,000 Palestinians are in Gaza, while hundreds more have been killed in the Gaza Strip. Occupied West Bank.