Benny Gantz

The entire People of Israel bows its head in mourning for the fall of our heroic fighters, who risked their lives in the battle to defeat Hamas and free all our hostages," Netanyahu remarked.

MIDDLE ISRAEL: Eisenkot may emerge as Israel’s next leader because he has become a symbol of Middle Israel’s agonies, having lost, in the current war, a son and a nephew.

Gadi Eisenkot's dramatic exit forces Israeli politics to choose between confrontational alliances to defeat Netanyahu or Gantz's revolutionary pivot toward compromise.

"I have seen greatness in serving the people," he wrote. "I will act with faith and commitment to creating a leadership alternative worthy of the State of Israel."

Yair Lapid said the opposition would offer Netanyahu support to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal, should Ben-Gvir and Smotrich oppose.

While that setup may serve the party leader well, it weakens and dilutes democracy by reducing transparency, participation, competition, and accountability.

"They said there are ideological gaps, I don't recognize that," he said, contradicting Gantz's explanation, which stated that there were "significant ideological differences."

"There are no more camps, we are all Blue and White," Gantz said in a video announcing the party's name change.

Kahana's exit follows Gadi Eisenkot's Monday announcement that he would be leaving National Unity and resigning from the Knesset.

“Member of Knesset Lt. Gen. (res.) Gadi Eisenkot informed National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz of his intention to leave the party and return his mandate to it,” the party said.

“Alongside painful loss, bereavement, and sorrow on the civilian front, Operation ‘Rising Lion’ has brought with it historic strategic achievements,” Gantz said.