Gallant, a member of Netanyahu’s Likud party since 2019, will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz. Gideon Saar, a minister without a portfolio, will step into Katz’s former role.

In his announcement, Netanyahu explained that while he and Gallant initially worked well together, recent months have seen escalating disagreements over military strategy.

“Unfortunately, although in the first months of the war there was trust and fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister,” Netanyahu said, noting that Gallant had acted against cabinet decisions, as reported by the Times of Israel.

Netanyahu emphasised his efforts to mend their differences but said the divide only deepened, affecting public perception and compromising Israel’s security.

“They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy – our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he remarked, adding that the government largely supports the decision.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on the grounds of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with Israel’s war on Gaza.

Israeli families campaigning for the release of the remaining captives held in Gaza said Gallant’s dismissal is another step in “efforts'” to torpedo any potential ceasefire deal.

Tens of thousands of people protested at locations across the occupied territories against the firing of Gallant.

Demonstrations reported in Haifa, Netanya and Beersheba and at junctions across the occupied territories, in addition to major demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that there has been a 1% average decline in male soldier enlistments over the past years.

The daily noted that 33% of the soldiers have not completed their recruitment, while15% deserted and did not enlist with reserve formations entirely.

The total of those exempted from military service due to mental or medical reasons spiked from 4% to 8%.

There are 18,000 combat reserve soldiers and 20,000 combat support personnel who are registered as part of the reserve force. They do not join when called up.

The report added the commanders of the reserve brigades and battalions believe the matter “relates to serial evaders and cannot be brought in by force.”

Israel is dealing with the manpower issue at a time its military faces the debacle in the Gaza Strip. The military has also failed to achieve its goals in a meaningful way in southern Lebanon.

Dozens of soldiers have been killed in recent days on both battlefronts.

In October, the Israeli outlet HaMakom reported that an increasing number of soldiers are silently refusing orders to return to the battlefield due in large part to the resistance put up by the Palestinian fighters.

The soldiers say they are depressed, unmotivated, worn out and psychologically damaged.

The Israeli military has published the names of nearly 800 troops killed since October 2023, including more than 350 who were killed on the ground in Gaza.

The Resistance fronts say the number of military fatalities the regime has suffered is much higher as it keeps the real figures under the lid.