From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 23, 2025
Gantz urges Netanyahu, Lapid, Liberman to form temporary ‘hostage-redemption government’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
Blue and White–National Unity chair Benny Gantz calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, and Yisrael Betyenu chairman Avigdor Liberman to form what he terms a “government of redeeming the captives and equality in the burden,” with a clear six-month mandate before new elections.
“The hostages are in mortal danger and our brothers are collapsing under the burden,” Gantz says at a press conference.
The proposal would see Gantz’s party join the coalition on a temporary basis to focus on securing the release of hostages held in Gaza and advancing legislation to address ultra-Orthodox enlistment in the military.
“Unlike the poison machine, I don’t want to save Netanyahu, but to save the hostages,” he says.
On the topic of whether he intends to withdraw from politics, Gantz responds: “I will continue my political journey.”
Gantz has twice previously entered unity governments under Netanyahu: Once during the COVID-19 pandemic after the third indecisive general elections in a year; and again after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre, before leaving the coalition over frustrations with Netanyahu’s handling of the war.
The Times of Israel Community.