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Israel faces political turmoil over war in Gaza: Live updates

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Israel faces political turmoil over war in Gaza: Live updates

3:46 a.m. ET, June 8, 2024

Benny Gantz will speak later today, as he reaches deadline for threatened withdrawal from Israeli government


From CNN’s Mostafa Salem and Tamar Michaelis



Former Israeli defense minister and war cabinet member Benny Gantz attends a meeting with the press on October 29 in Ramot Naftali, Israel.

Amir Levy/Getty Images

Former Israeli defense minister and key war cabinet member Benny Gantz has not announced any changes to his plan for withdrawing Saturday from the wartime emergency government formed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Gantz will hold a news conference today at 8:40 p.m. local time (1:40 p.m. ET) in the city of Ramat Gan, his office confirms.

How we got here: Last month, Gantz said he would resign, along with his National Unity Party, from the government if Netanyahu did not devise a plan to bring back hostages held in Gaza and present a day-after strategy for the war-torn enclave by June 8. His other demands included the elimination of Hamas and the return of Israeli residents to the north of Israel. 

Netanyahu’s office rejected Gantz’s demands, saying the ultimatum would only hurt Israel.

Why it matters: Gantz’s withdrawal from the emergency government would not collapse Netanyahu’s majority in the Knesset, but would risk further isolation for the embattled premier on an international stage.

This comes at a time of daily mass protests in Israel, with many demonstrators calling for immediate elections and the hostages’ release, and some wanting an end to further humanitarian aid being allowed into Gaza.

Gantz is considered Netanyahu’s main political challenger and often surpasses him in approval polls.

US ceasefire proposal: It remains unclear how US President Joe Biden’s new proposal for a Gaza ceasefire agreement and hostage release may have impacted Gantz’s deadline. The plan includes a vague outline for a post-war Gaza.

Biden laid out the three-phase proposal last week, saying it was submitted by the Israeli government. But Netanyahu has since said Israel won’t stop fighting until Hamas is destroyed.

CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim contributed reporting to this post.

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