Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot during a cabinet meeting on July 5, 2026. The Israeli Prime Minister accused his political rivals of undermining military objectives by advocating for a premature withdrawal from Gaza and accepting terms favorable to Hezbollah.

Netanyahu stated that if Gantz and Eisenkot's position had been accepted, it would have left the Iranian axis at the height of its power. He claimed Gantz and Eisenkot supported accepting Hamas's terms to leave the Gaza Strip, receive hostages, and then return to deal with Gaza after two or three years. "Those who say today, 'why did you not achieve 100%,' were prepared to accept zero," he said.

The Prime Minister indicated that his government maintains its stance on demilitarization and sovereignty, asserting there will be no reconstruction in Gaza without dismantling and demilitarization in the designated area. He also stated that officials in the cabinet told him in closed-door discussions they would frame the situation as an image of victory on the channels. "I said that if there is a victory, there will be a picture, not before," he said.

Netanyahu critiqued the maritime border agreement with Lebanon, which was signed under the government of Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. "They preach to us? They gave sovereign maritime territory to Lebanon, we are entering the territory. There is peace from our strength, and there is surrender from their weakness. Hezbollah blessed their agreement and is cursing our agreement. That is the difference," he said.

He referenced discussions with American officials and clarified that former President Trump did not ask him not to act against terror tunnels in Lebanon.

On July 6, Blue and White responded to Netanyahu's remarks concerning the timeline in Rafah and the return of hostages. "If Netanyahu had listened to Gantz, we would have finished in Rafah by the end of Ramadan, returned the hostages, and moved north to eliminate Nasrallah in order to prevent another lost year in the north. Netanyahu hesitated, we lost precious time, legitimacy, and unfortunately also hostages who were murdered during that time," the political party stated.