Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz resigns

JERUSALEM — Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz announced his resignation on Sunday.

Gantz joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, according to The Associated Press. He was the centrist member of the three-man war cabinet.

“Leaving the government is a complex and painful decision,” Gantz said in a televised statement, according to CNN.

His resignation comes a day after Israel rescued four hostages who were kidnapped on Oct. 7. He was going to announce his decision on Saturday but chose to hold off because of the rescue operation, CNN reported.

Previously, he said he would leave by June 8 if Netanyahu did not come up with a new plan for Gaza postwar, the AP reported. The New York Times reported that he quit over Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza.

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu is preventing us from advancing to the real victory,” he said, according to the newspaper. “Therefore, we are leaving the emergency government with a heavy but complete heart.”

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