Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticised War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz for resigning from the emergency government.
Gantz announced his resignation earlier in the day, citing fundamental differences in the strategic approach and claiming that Netanyahu “prevents us from reaching true victory” in the war on Gaza.
War Council observer Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli army chief of staff, also announced his resignation.
Netanyahu said in a post on X that “Israel is in an existential war on several fronts. Benny, now is not the time to abandon the fight, it is the time to combine forces.”
“My door will stay open to any Zionist party that is willing to share the burden and help bring victory over our enemies and ensure the safety of our citizens,” he added.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir asked to join the War Cabinet after Gantz’s resignation.
“In light of Gantz’s retirement, I have directed a request to the Prime Minister asking to join the War Cabinet. It is time to make brave decisions, to get real deterrence, and to bring security to the South, the North, and all of Israel,” Ben-Gvir said in a post on X.
UN food agency pauses its aid work at US pier in Gaza over security concerns, in latest setback
The director of the UN World Food Programme said they “paused” distribution of humanitarian aid from an American-built pier off Gaza, saying she was “concerned about the safety of our people” after what had been one of the deadliest days of the war there.
Saturday saw both an Israeli military assault that freed four hostages but left 274 Palestinians and one Israeli commando dead, and, Cindy McCain said, two of WFP’s warehouses in Gaza had been “rocketed” and a staffer injured.
UN announcement of the pause appears the latest setback for the US sea route, set up to try to bring more aid to Gaza’s starving people.
The US Agency for International Development described the pause as a step to allow for a security review by the humanitarian community in Gaza. USAID works with the World Food Programme and their humanitarian partners in Gaza to distribute food and other aid coming from the US-operated pier.
US calls for UN Security Council vote on backing Gaza ceasefire plan
The United States announced Sunday it has requested a UN Security Council vote on its draft resolution backing a plan for an “immediate ceasefire with the release of hostages” between Israel and Hamas.
“Today, the United States called for the Security Council to move towards a vote… supporting the proposal on the table,” said Nate Evans, spokesman for the US delegation, without specifying a vote date.
Number of Palestinians killed in Israeli Nuseirat raid rises to 274
At least 274 Palestinians, including dozens of children, were killed, and hundreds more were wounded, in the Israeli raid that rescued four hostages held by Hamas, Palestinian Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said. The Israeli military said its forces came under heavy fire and responded during the complex daytime operation in central Gaza.
6 Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike on residential building in Gaza
At least six Palestinians including a child and two women were killed and a number of others injured due to an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Gaza City.
“Our teams in Gaza Governorate managed to retrieve six martyrs, including a child and two women, one of whom was pregnant, and several injured individuals following an air strike by occupation aircraft on a residential building in Gaza City,” said the Gaza Civil Defense Agency.
“The residential building, consisting of four floors, belongs to the Al-Areer family, located in the Al-Emal market area in Gaza,” added the statement.
