Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the influential War Cabinet responsible for directing the war efforts in Gaza. This decision comes after Benny Gantz, a prominent opposition lawmaker and former military chief, left Netanyahu’s governing coalition due to disagreements over the war’s management.

Gantz had initially advocated for a smaller cabinet, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, to limit the influence of far-right lawmakers in Netanyahu’s government. However, with the War Cabinet’s dissolution, Netanyahu plans to conduct smaller forums with select government members for discussing sensitive issues.

Critics argue that Netanyahu’s wartime decisions have been swayed by ultranationalists within his government who reject any ceasefire deal with Hamas that involves releasing hostages. These politicians support the idea of “voluntary migration” for Palestinians from Gaza and advocate for a return to military occupation of the territory.

Netanyahu has refuted these claims, asserting that his actions are aligned with Israel’s best interests.

The ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza has resulted in over 37,100 fatalities, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war has severely disrupted the supply of essential goods to Palestinians, leading to widespread hunger.

The hostilities began following an attack by Hamas on October 7th, which saw militants enter southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths—predominantly civilians—and the abduction of around 250 individuals.