Gantz Vows to Quit Election Race if Polls Show Party Failing to Pass Threshold

Benny Gantz, chairman of the Blue and White party, stated on the Times of Israel's Lazar Focus podcast that he would halt his election campaign if final polls indicate his party will not cross the electoral threshold to enter the Knesset. "I have a commitment only to my voters," Gantz said. "I can promise that their vote will not be thrown away, because we will pass the electoral threshold, or I will not run in the last week, approximately. So no vote will be wasted."

This statement marks a shift from Gantz's previous consistent denials of any intention to withdraw from the race, having previously asserted he would compete until the end. The report also briefly mentions a separate news item about President Trump canceling an attack against the Houthis.