War Council Minister Benny Gage is expected Saturday night to announce it his departure from the governing coalition which he joined after the October 7 attack by Hamas, although he is under pressure to stay.

According to Israeli media, the minister of Israel’s War Cabinet, Benny Gage is set to announce the withdrawal of his National Unity party from government by Saturday night, fulfilling an ultimatum he issued to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month demanding a commitment to an agreed plan for Gaza that would include determining who can govern the region in a scenario in which Hamas has been defeated.

THE leader of the National Unity party sent on May 18 an ultimatum to Netanyahu, demanding the adoption of an “action plan” for the “next day” in the Gaza Strip, without which he would resign from the government. And his party tabled a bill last week to dissolve parliament, with little chance of success at this stage because Netanyahu’s Likud (right) party continues to hold a majority in parliament with its ultra-Orthodox allies and the extreme right.

Kan public broadcaster reported on Thursday, without citing sources, that the US government had tried to persuade Gantz to delay his planned departure amid ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s far-right partners, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have said they will not agree to a currently proposed deal with Hamas – approved by the high-level war cabinet that includes Gantz, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallad — or in any arrangement that ends the war in exchange for the release of hostages.

They have repeatedly threatened to topple the government if such a deal is approved – although Netanyahu has insisted the current offer would allow Israel to meet its war goals – making Gantz’s presence in the coalition crucial to the success of a deal.

Gantz has come under pressure from some to stay in government after joining the coalition days after the October 7 attack by the Hamas terror group to form a wartime emergency government.

Benny Gage’s statement is expected to be made Saturday night at 8:40 p.m.