Pressure mounts on Netanyahu as calls for Israeli elections increase amid Gaza war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing scrutiny from current and former members of the Israeli government due to his handling of the war in Gaza.

War Cabinet minister Gadi Eisenkot seemingly criticized Netanyahu and others within the government on Thursday, saying that officials who claim Hamas was fully defeated in northern Gaza “are not telling the truth.”

“Those who say that there was a major blow and demolition of the capabilities in the north of the strip are telling the truth. Those who say that there was an absolute defeat [of Hamas] and lack of will and ability, are not telling the truth,” Eisenkot told Israeli television news. “A strategic achievement was not reached. Partially reached. We did not demolish the Hamas organization.”

Eisenkot also called for elections to take place “in the next few months,” though he noted, “lack of trust among the public in its government is no less severe than lack of unity during a war.”

“The state of Israel is a democracy and needs to ask itself, after such a serious event, how do we go forward with a leadership that is responsible for such an absolute failure?” he said.