FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz attends a news conference in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 28, 2023. The departure of Gantz after eight months spent in Israel's war cabinet does not immediately appear to challenge government but does put pressure on Netanyahu. His resignation will likely embolden and empower Israel's radical ultranationalist cabinet ministers who have fiercely opposed all cease-fire deals.
But as the war has stretched on, many Israelis — including Gantz — have grown frustrated with the lack of progress to bring home the captives and to secure a cease-fire deal. They say Netanyahu has placed his own political survival ahead of the country’s interests, prolonging the war to avoid new elections and his own corruption trial.
But Gantz, a longtime rival of Netanyahu, called for Israel to hold elections in the fall during his resignation speech. He also encouraged the third member of the war Cabinet, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to “do the right thing” and resign.