Netanyahu urges Gantz to remain in place.
Following the impressive salvage of four Israeli captives from Gaza, a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in Tel Aviv, urging the government to forge a deal with Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, pleaded with Gantz not to abandon the emergency administration. Gantz's ultimatum lapsed.
In the aftermath of the disastrous Hamas attack on October 7 the previous year, the then opposition leader Gantz, a former IDF commander, came to join Netanyahu's war cabinet. On the platform X, Netanyahu appealed to Gantz personally in the evening, insisting, "Don't leave the emergency admin. Don't abandon unity." Netanyahu added, "This is a time of unity, not division. We must persist in tackling the great hurdles that lie ahead." Gantz initially set up a press conference for the evening, but with the successful customary release of four captives from Gaza, he later canceled it.
It was expected that Gantz would rejoin the opposition. Gantz had previously threatened to do so if no post-war order in Gaza was established. His ultimatum to Netanyahu lapsed on Saturday. Gantz presently exercises the role of a minister without portfolio, but as a vital member of the war cabinet. Netanyahu's right-wing government would retain a majority of 64 out of 120 parliamentary seats without Gantz's party.
Netanyahu has yet to present a plan for governing and rebuilding Gaza after the war. According to local reports, there's been no attempt by coalition parties to correlate with Gantz and ensure he stays in the government. As reported by Israeli media, Gantz addressed Netanyahu and his administration, stating that the challenges facing Israel, including the success of the hostage rescue, remain unaltered. He apparently underscored to them the responsibility to deliberate prudently on the future course of the country. It remained unclear whether Gantz would remain in the government.
Elsewhere, thousands marched in Tel Aviv urging a trade for the rest of the hostages from Gaza. Similarly, thousands of government adversaries filled Haifa and Jerusalem, demanding the release of captives and new elections. Further protests popped up in Caesarea, Beersheba, and other parts of the nation. There has been a massive wave of protests for hostage liberation and against the government in Israel for months. The son of a victim slain in captivity implored for pardon in his speech, sympathizing with the futile endeavors of the country and Netanyahu in freeing his father and the other captives. The military had recently revealed their demise, together with those of three additional hostages.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been discreetly mediating between Israel and Hamas for some time, aiming to secure a truce and swap captives for Palestinian detainees. The surprise move by President Joe Biden last week, albeit not officially announced, divulged draft details for terminating the war in three stages.
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- Despite the successful hostage release from Gaza, protests continued in Tel Aviv, urging the government to negotiate a longer-term solution with Hamas and secure the release of remaining hostages.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing Gantz during the crisis, emphasized the importance of unity in tackling the challenges facing Israel, including the release of hostages from Gaza, and urged him not to abandon the emergency administration.
- In the Gaza Strip, Hamas leaders condemned Israel for the continued hostage-taking incidents and called on the international community to pressure Israel into honoring a truce agreement and ensuring the safe return of all hostages.
