In Israel, the opposition party led by former Defense Minister Benny Gantz is pushing for new elections. On Thursday, the party presented a bill to dissolve parliament, as reported by the the Welt newspaper.
Gantz is demanding that new elections be held before October, ahead of the anniversary of the major attack on Israel by the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas.
The National Unity Party, of which Gantz is a member, stated that it is unclear whether there could be a majority for the dissolution of the Knesset, as Netanyahu's right-wing religious cabinet holds a majority in parliament even without Gantz's party.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the action, describing the dissolution of the unity government as a "reward" for the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.
Netanyahu warned that this would amount to capitulation to international pressure and a setback for efforts to free Israeli hostages. He stressed that Israel needs unity, not division, amid the war.
Gantz had previously set a deadline for submitting a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip and threatened to resign if it was not met.
Elections in Israel are not scheduled to take place until the end of 2026, but the current political situation has increased pressure on the government.
The Gaza War was triggered by a major Hamas attack on October 7, in which over 1,189 people were killed and 252 taken hostage.
Israel responded with massive military action in the Gaza Strip, resulting in more than 36,200 deaths so far, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
