Though Netanyahu’s government is not under any threat of collapsing, Gantz’s leaving does make it lose the only “moderate element” that was in the overall coalition, she said.
“Netanyahu will be left just with the far right ministers, and it’s yet to be seen what role they will play.”
One of them, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, immediately demanded to enter the war cabinet in place of Gantz.
Netanyahu is also under growing pressure from his far-right coalition allies, who have threatened to quit the government if he goes ahead with a hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden last month.
Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have insisted that the government should not enter into any deal and continue the war until the end goal of destroying Hamas has been achieved.
The coalition rules by a slim majority of 64 out of 120 seats in the Israeli parliament and depends on far-right votes.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 the army says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 37,084 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry.
