Netanyahu has dissolved his war cabinet. How will this affect the ceasefire effort?

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Disbanded his War Cabinet Monday, a move that consolidates its influence over the Israel-Hamas war and possibly undermines the prospect of an early ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu announced the next step in becoming his main political rival, Benny GantzThe three-member War Cabinet was withdrawn. Gantz, a retired general and member of parliament, was widely seen as a more moderate voice.

Major war policies will now be approved only by Netanyahu's security cabinet – a larger body dominated by hardliners opposed to US-backed ones. Ceasefire proposal and want to proceed with the war.

Netanyahu is expected to consult close allies on some decisions in ad-hoc meetings, said an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

These closed-door meetings can somewhat blunt the influence of hard-liners. But Netanyahu himself has shown little enthusiasm for a cease-fire plan, and his reliance on a full security cabinet could give him cover to prolong a decision.

Here's basic background on the War Cabinet and what it means to break it down for the prospect of a ceasefire:

Why did Gantz join and then leave the War Cabinet?

The War Cabinet was formed following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel when opposition leader Gantz joined Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant in a show of unity.

At the time, Gantz demanded that a smaller decision-making body manage the war to sideline far-right members of the Netanyahu government.

But Gantz left the cabinet Earlier this month after months of tension over Israel's tactics in Gaza.

He said he was frustrated by the lack of progress in repatriating dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. He accused Netanyahu of drawing the war To avoid fresh elections and prosecution of corruption. He called on Netanyahu to approve a plan that would — among other things — free prisoners and end Hamas rule in Gaza.

When Netanyahu did not express support for the plan, Gantz announced his departure. He said that “fatal strategic decisions” in the cabinet were being “viewed with hesitation and delay due to political considerations.”

How will Israel's wartime policies be changed?

Dissolving the war cabinet further distanced Netanyahu from centrist politicians and made him more open to a cease-fire deal with Hamas.

Months of cease-fire talks have failed to find common ground between Hamas and Israeli leaders. Both Israel and Hamas have been reluctant to fully support a US-backed plan that would return the hostages, clear the way for an end to the war and begin efforts to rebuild the devastated region.

Netanyahu will now rely on members of his security cabinet, some of whom have opposed the cease-fire agreement and expressed support for the recapture of Gaza.

Following the departure of Gantz, Israel's ultra-nationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Ziv, demanded the inclusion of a renewed war cabinet. Monday's move may help keep Ben-Zvir at bay, but it may not remove him entirely.

The move gives Netanyahu an opportunity to launch a battle to stay in power. Netanyahu's critics accuse him of delaying because an end to the war would mean an investigation into the government's failure on October 7 and raise the possibility of new elections if the prime minister's popularity is low.

“This means that he will make all the decisions himself, or with people he trusts who will not challenge him,” said Gideon Rahat, chairman of the political science department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. “And his interest is to wage a slow-dissolving war.”