Benny Gantz Calls for Elections in September

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz called for general elections to be held in September, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government faces pressure from both domestic and international fronts due to the war in Gaza. Gantz stated in a press conference, "We must agree on a date for the elections in September, before a year has passed since the outbreak of the war, so to speak... Setting such a date will allow us to continue our military effort while sending a signal to our citizens that we will soon renew their trust in us." He added, "I spoke with Netanyahu about the necessity of starting arrangements for holding elections," emphasizing that any military or political achievement is diminished by what is happening on the streets. On his part, Netanyahu believes that calling for early elections would paralyze Israel and delay the opportunity to negotiate a prisoner exchange deal for six months, as he expressed.