Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Saturday night that Israel has no intention of stopping the war with Hamas.
"Three months ago, Hamas committed a terrible massacre against us," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"My government directed the IDF to go to war to eliminate Hamas, return our hostages and ensure that Gaza will never again be a threat to Israel. The war must not be stopped until we achieve all of the goals," he stressed.
"We will not give Hamas any immunity whatsoever, and we will fight until we restore security in both the south and the north. Until then, and to that end, everything must be put aside and we must continue with united forces until absolute victory is achieved," concluded Netanyahu.
The statement followed the stormy Cabinet meeting on Thursday night, during which a confrontation erupted between several ministers and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, against the background of the appointment of a team that will investigate the events of October 7.
The meeting abruptly ended after the ministers criticized the formation of the team and the fact that it will be headed by former Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz, who was a supporter of the Disengagement from Gaza.
Minister Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, commented on Friday on the incident in the Cabinet.
"We are in the most difficult war in our history, which is being fought on several fronts, and against them we must act as one fist. It is good that the Chief of Staff, who knew how to take responsibility after the October 7 disaster, is taking responsibility and establishing a team that will produce operational lessons for the continuation of the fighting - this is his duty," said Gantz.
“It is also the duty of the political echelon to ask questions and challenge. What happened yesterday was a politically motivated attack in the middle of a war. I have participated in many Cabinet meetings - such conduct has never occurred, and must not occur. The Prime Minister is responsible for this. He has the responsibility to correct, and to choose - between unity and security and between politics."
The Likud Party responded to Gantz and said, "The duty of the Political-Security Cabinet is to ask questions and get answers. This is not politics. In times of war, when the people are united, Gantz is expected to behave responsibly and stop looking for excuses to break his promise to remain in the unity government until the end of the war."