Israel has formed a unity government and a war cabinet to manage the escalating conflict with the Palestinian enclave of Gaza. The new war cabinet is led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and includes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant; former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist National Unity party; and parliamentarian Gadi Eizenkot, also from the National Unity party and former chief of the IDF General Staff.
This move comes in response to rising public criticism of Netanyahu’s government for not adequately preparing for Hamas’ surprise attack last Saturday.
The Palestinian Islamist armed group Hamas launched a series of attacks including thousands of rockets and ground infiltrations that saw unprecedented atrocities in Israeli towns bordering Gaza. Israel retaliated with airstrikes and a “full siege” on Gaza, cutting off electricity, food, and water supplies. The conflict has resulted in a rising death toll, with at least 1,300 dead in Israel and a similar number in the Gaza Strip.
International concern is mounting as fighting persists. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported four of its paramedics were killed during Israeli airstrikes. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees stated that 11 of its employees have been killed since the weekend. An emergency Arab League meeting held in Cairo called for an immediate halt to the conflict and resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Egypt announced Wednesday that it was in discussions with the US and other countries for a temporary cease-fire to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.