Netanyahu Fires Defence Minister Gallant Amid Gaza Conflict; Israel Katz Takes Over

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant following public disagreements over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, appointing Foreign Minister Israel Katz as his replacement. Gallant, who has previously taken a tough stance in the conflict with Hezbollah, had recently called for a ceasefire and a deal to release hostages in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s decision comes amid the U.S. elections, a critical time for Israel given the military backing from its major ally. "Over the past few months, trust has eroded. In light of this, I decided today to end the term of the defence minister," Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. Gideon Saar has been appointed to take over as foreign minister.

Following his dismissal, Gallant remarked that ensuring Israel’s security would continue to be his "mission."

The ongoing conflict has been marked by intense hostilities since October 7 of last year, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, leading to 1,206 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official data compiled by AFP. Since then, Israel's retaliatory strikes have resulted in the deaths of 43,391 people in Gaza, most of whom are civilians, according to figures from Gaza's health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

Continued Fighting on Multiple Fronts

Israeli forces have intensified their air and ground campaign, with Lebanon reporting deadly air raids across its territory. The Lebanese health ministry reported one death and 20 injuries in an Israeli attack on the coastal town of Jiyeh, south of Beirut. The target was reportedly an apartment used by Hezbollah, with the attack destroying the top floor of a four-storey building.

Further strikes hit southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, with the Lebanese Red Cross and the army recovering seven bodies in the Tyre region after recent heavy raids.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for firing rockets and deploying drones into northern Israel and targeting Israeli troops along the Lebanon border. These attacks come more than a month into the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel, which has so far led to 1,964 fatalities in Lebanon since September 23, according to AFP figures from the health ministry.

In neighboring Syria, Israeli airstrikes targeted weapons storage facilities used by Hezbollah in the town of Al-Qusayr, marking the second attack on the town within a week, according to Israel's military. Syria’s official news agency, SANA, reported that the industrial zone in Al-Qusayr was struck, with some residential buildings in the vicinity also targeted. No casualties were reported.

West Bank Tensions Rise

Violence has also escalated in the West Bank, with Israeli forces killing seven Palestinians in separate operations, which the Israeli military claimed were targeting "terrorists." Since the onset of the Gaza conflict, at least 757 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank, as per figures from the Ramallah-based health ministry. During the same period, at least 24 Israelis have been killed by Palestinian attacks in the West Bank, according to Israeli officials.

As the conflict rages on, Palestinians in Gaza voiced their hopes regarding the U.S. elections. "We are hanging by a thread, and like every other people in the world, we are looking for someone who can stop the war," said Ayman al-Omreiti, 45, in Gaza City. "Our hope is that the American people will choose someone who can end the suffering of the Palestinian people."