Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu dissolves War Cabinet

Israeli opposition supporters took to the streets of Jerusalem on Monday, calling for snap elections and a more rapid return of the remaining hostages from Gaza. 

A large crowd gathered outside the Knesset parliament around sundown with some then moving on to the area of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. Many waved Israeli flags and others carried banners or placards often critical of government policies.

Protests of this kind have been quite common in the past weeks and months but may gain new impetus since Israel's wartime unity government fell apart a week ago, leaving Netanyahu's government with a narrower band of participants. 

A portion of the demonstration later turned unruly.

Police said that nine people were arrested, some for attacking police officers, when a group of protesters tried to break through barriers set up near Netanyahu's home.

DW spoke with UNICEF spokesperson James Elder who's currently Rafah. He called on Israel to do more to facilitate the distribution to Palestinians in Gaza.

"There is nothing normal about children being deprived food. There's nothing normal about thousands of children being bombed. There's certainly nothing normal about the constant fear that people live in," he said.

Israel's Defense Ministry says the country made record defense export sales last year.

The ministry said the country made $13 billion (€12.3 billion) in sales in 2023, a period that includes the Hamas terror attack against Israel on October 7 and the first three months of the war that it sparked.

"For the third consecutive year, Israel set a new record in defense exports, with over $13 billion in 2023, the highest figure to date," the ministry posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Israel's defense exports have doubled within five years, with over a third of the agreements signed — missile, rocket, and air defense systems."

The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says 193 of its workers have been killed in Gaza since the Israeli offensive began there in October last year.

"Gaza is the most dangerous places [sic] in the world for aid workers," it wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It said the death toll was the highest in UN history.

"Despite this, our colleagues keep working to support families & provide aid amid the dire humanitarian crisis," it wrote.

The agency faced severe funding difficulties earlier this year after Israel alleged that some of its members had been involved in the deadly October 7 raids by Hamas and other militant groups that triggered the offensive. The attacks claimed some 1,200 Israeli lives in what was the worst massacre in the country's history.

But most of the countries that suspended their contributions have resumed funding after an investigation led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Israel had produced no proof to back its claims that UNRWA staff members were members of terrorist organizations.

The investigation did, however, note "neutrality-related issues" at the agency.

Norway's international development minister, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, has said her country will top up its contribution to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, adding 100 million Norwegian kroner (€8.7 million) to the current 275 million kroner. 

Tvinnereim was speaking at a press conference with UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini, who is visiting Oslo.

Norway is already one of the top donors to the agency.

Several donor countries temporarily suspended funding for the agency early in the year following Israeli allegations that some UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attacks by Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed. 

However, most countries resumed their payments after an investigation requested by the United Nations found no evidence to support Israeli allegations that the agency had been thoroughly infiltrated by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

UN and other aid agencies have also complained that Israeli operations in Gaza have made it difficult or impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to people who are, or are close to, suffering from famine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved his War Cabinet, which was a main forum for making decisions on the course of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, Israeli officials say.

The move comes after the departure from the government of the centrist former general Benny Gantz.

Although not a member of Netanyahu's far-right government, Gantz had agreed to join the War Cabinet to circumvent some of the more extremist members of the government. The third member of the War Cabinet was Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers, including Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Among those with whom he may also discuss sensitive issues regarding the war are other far-right members of his Security Cabinet who oppose cease-fire deals and have voiced support for reoccupying Gaza.
Gantz left the government last week, citing Netanyahu's alleged failure to have a postwar plan for Gaza.

tj/ab (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)