Benny Gantz is back where he was at the start of the war Hamas launched on October 7: an ex-defence minister, ex chief of staff – and Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu’s chief political rival. Perhaps the most important impact of Gantz’s departure is the one it won’t have: it won’t cause the government to collapse. “Benny Gantz is in a fix,” former Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller told CNN on Sunday before Gantz’s resignation. Nor for that matter is the third member of the war cabinet, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. With Gantz gone, that seems less likely – as does the likelihood of a hostage deal being consummated any time soon.

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Persons: Benny Gantz, Benjamin, Bibi, Netanyahu didn’t, he’d, ” Gantz, “ Netanyahu, “ Benny Gantz, Aaron David Miller, Gantz’s, “, ” That’s, Netanyahu, Joe Biden’s –, Israel’s, Gantz, Miller, Deir, Abed Rahim Khatib, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Gantz wouldn’t Organizations: CNN, Hamas, “, Anadolu, Getty Locations: Gaza, Israel, East