Netanyahu fires defense minister in move that sparks massive protests in Israel
Tel Aviv, Israel - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, sparking mass protests amid Israel's ongoing destruction of Gaza.
Thousands of Israelis flooded the streets, demanding the government do everything in its power to bring home the remaining hostages taken during the Hamas-led October 7 attack.
The removal of Gallant, who pushed for Israel's war on Lebanon while also being more supportive of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, coincided with the presidential election in the US, Israel's top military backer.
Netanyahu and Gallant have frequently clashed over Israel's overall strategy, though not on matters of Israel's brutality. The former major general infamously called Palestinians in Gaza "human animals" as he announced the withholding of food, water, and electricity to the entire territory last year.
"Over the past few months... trust has eroded. In light of this, I decided today to end the term of the defense minister," Netanyahu's office said, adding that foreign minister Israel Katz would take his place.
Shortly afterward, thousands of people took to the streets of commercial hub Tel Aviv, chanting slogans against Netanyahu and demanding the return of 97 hostages held in Gaza – 63 of whom are believed to still be alive.
Protesters blocked traffic and lit fires, with some wearing "Bring them home now!" T-shirts.
They held up signs with slogans such as "We deserve better leaders" and "Leaving no one behind!", and one protester wore handcuffs and a face mask with Netanyahu's likeness.
Fired minister Gallant responds
After his appointment, Katz vowed "victory over our enemies and to achieve the goals of the war", including "the destruction of Hamas in Gaza, the defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon" and the return of hostages.
Gideon Saar, a minister without portfolio, was appointed to replace Katz as foreign minister.
After being fired, Gallant posted on X that Israel's security would remain his life's "mission."
He called on the government to bring home the hostages in Gaza while they were "still alive" and insisted all Israelis of draft age must serve in the military – a key issue that he and Netanyahu had disagreed on.
The sacked minister had been a key advocate for ultra-Orthodox Jews to be called up, but Netanyahu wanted their exemption to continue, fearing their conscription could break up his far-right coalition government.
The October 7 attacks resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally.
Israel has responded with a year-long assault that experts and humanitarian organizations say has crossed the threshold into genocide. At least 43,000 Palestinians have been killed, with the true number believed to be orders of magnitude higher.
Gaza has been reduced to rubble, starvation is widespread as Israel blocks the entry of aid, and hundreds of thousands are at risk of imminent death.
Israel has since expanded its war into Lebanon, ostensibly to take on its arch-rival militant group Hezbollah. Over 3,000 people have been killed in a brutal campaign that – as in Gaza – has mostly targeted civilians.
Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS