Blue and White chairman MK Benny Gantz called on Saturday night for the formation of a temporary emergency government focused on returning the hostages and drafting a fair national service plan, including for the haredim.
Gantz proposed that the emergency government - dubbed the “Hostage Recovery Government” - would serve for six months, culminating in general elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Kfar Maccabiah, Gantz stated, “In Hamas’s tunnels, there are fifty hostages, including one woman - starving, tortured, humiliated. My mother, Malka, was liberated from Bergen-Belsen weighing 29 kilograms. She taught me that life is sacred, and that the state’s primary duty is to save lives.”
He outlined three pillars of his initiative: reaching a deal to secure the release of all hostages, advancing a service plan that includes haredi enlistment and relieves the burden on current servicemembers, and enacting legislation to set elections for spring 2026. “Our hostages are in mortal danger. Their time is running out. Meanwhile, our soldiers - regular and reservists alike - are collapsing under the burden,” he said.
Gantz urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, to support the plan. “We have no time. The hostages have no time,” he warned. “Hostages are starving, families are breaking apart, businesses are collapsing, and our soldiers are burned out.”
He added, “Make no mistake - I believe this government is harmful and must be replaced. Prime Minister Netanyahu should step down through democratic elections. This initiative isn’t for the government - it’s because of the government. It divides us, fails to bring victory, and fails to bring back our hostages.”
Directly addressing Netanyahu, Gantz said, “In the face of extortion, I offer a responsible national alternative. Adopt it.” He claimed there is broad public and Knesset support for his plan and called on political leaders to “align with the will of the people.”
A Blue and White source said Saturday night that the initiative centers on three national priorities: returning the hostages, passing a new service framework, and leading the country to orderly elections in spring 2026.
Key Points of the Plan:
Sign a comprehensive agreement for the release of all hostages.
Agree on a service plan including haredi enlistment and easing the burden on those currently serving.
Pass a law setting elections for spring 2026.
Form a broad-based government with opposition parties, replacing extremist elements that obstruct national progress.
The proposal, in development for weeks, emerges amid an opportunity for a hostage deal and a veto by Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. “Gantz has held talks with senior Israeli and international figures. He believes there’s a realistic chance to return all hostages. But each time pressure is applied on Hamas, follow-through is lacking. That cannot happen again. For some hostages, this may be their final chance.”
The plan also seeks to pressure Netanyahu: “If he refuses, the responsibility lies with him. If he succeeds in securing a deal himself - we fully support it. This offers him a path to resolve the hostage crisis without needing a divisive draft law.”
Regarding the idea of a “safety net,” the source said: “It has no real value. It won’t assist soldiers, won’t lead to elections, and won’t influence a deal. It gives nothing to Netanyahu or the public. While there’s no principled objection to a safety net, what Israel needs now is a comprehensive solution: hostages, service, elections.”
The initiative requires wide opposition support due to the coalition’s current composition. “This must become a broad national front to ensure it moves forward.”
As for MK Yair Golan, the source explained: “Likud leadership views him as a red flag. That’s why Gantz didn’t call on him publicly, though he has no objection to Golan’s participation.”
Regarding the timing of elections, the source noted: “This government won’t pass a budget. Therefore, after the Knesset reconvenes, a bill should be introduced to dissolve it, setting a mutually agreed date - March 2026 - which the Prime Minister’s Office itself has previously mentioned.”
The first step in Gantz’s plan: securing a hostage deal. “Only then will the government be sworn in according to the proposal.”