In a significant blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, has announced his resignation. Gantz, who was seen as Netanyahu's main political challenger, cited the lack of progress towards a real victory in Gaza as his reason for leaving the government. The decision comes after Gantz gave an ultimatum to Netanyahu last month, demanding a new plan for the war against Hamas.

Gantz described his departure from the emergency government as a "complex and painful decision" in a televised statement on Sunday. Despite Netanyahu's plea for unity and for Gantz to stay in the emergency government, the former defense minister chose to step down. Gantz's party was not part of the prime minister's coalition, so Netanyahu's government is not immediately in danger. However, his resignation leaves the war cabinet, which was formed after Hamas' attack on October 7, without representation from any party other than Likud.

The announcement of Gantz's resignation was delayed due to news of Israeli forces rescuing four hostages in Gaza. The rescue operation, although successful, resulted in the deaths of more than 270 Palestinians, according to Gazan officials. As the war cabinet member responsible for making decisions related to the fighting in Gaza, Gantz's departure raises concerns about the continuity of decision-making.

Netanyahu is facing mounting pressure from Israel's Western allies and the families of hostages held in Gaza to end the war and bring back the captives. It has been eight months since the war started, and Israel has yet to achieve its objectives. Most of Hamas' top leadership remains at large, and over 100 hostages are still held in the enclave.

The United States has repeatedly called on Netanyahu to present a tangible post-war plan for Gaza. U.S. President Joe Biden, who recently proposed a three-pronged Israeli peace deal, has suggested that Netanyahu may benefit from prolonging the conflict. Gantz had previously demanded that Netanyahu's plan include the elimination of Hamas, the return of hostages, the establishment of an alternative government in Gaza, the repatriation of displaced Israelis, and progress on normalization with Saudi Arabia.

Gantz's decision to resign may have been influenced by his desire to maintain his popularity. Opinion polls consistently rank Gantz higher in popularity compared to Netanyahu. Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, noted that Gantz had joined the government to balance things out and prevent reckless decision-making. However, as the war dragged on and the situation remained unresolved, Gantz may have realized that staying in the cabinet would weaken his position among both right-wing and centrist voters.

The resignation of Benny Gantz from Netanyahu's government marks a significant political development in Israel. It remains to be seen how this will impact the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the internal dynamics within the Israeli government. Netanyahu's emergency government retains its majority in the Knesset, but the absence of Gantz from the war cabinet raises concerns about decision-making and the direction of the conflict.