Benny Gantz Announces Withdrawal from Upcoming Elections

Benny Gantz, chairman of the Blue and White party and former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister, announced on Monday that he will not be running in the upcoming elections. In a statement, Gantz declared, "I will not run in the upcoming elections, I will continue to fight for unity. This is the only solution that will prevent further disaster and protect Israel from all challenges, both internal and external." Gantz is scheduled to hold a press conference at 8:00 PM at the Conch Hall in Kibbutz HaMa'abakim to discuss his decision. He stated his intention to continue focusing his efforts on forming a unity government for the benefit of Israel.

In a separate incident, the IDF reported that Duvdevan unit soldiers, guided by the Shin Bet, arrested two terrorists in the village of Aqab in the Binyamin region on Sunday. The military stated that the individuals were involved in establishing a terror infrastructure and were planning immediate terror activities. The arrested suspects were transferred for further security force investigation.

The police have launched an investigation into a stone-throwing incident near the village of Turmus Ayya in Binyamin, which targeted a group including a public figure. The incident occurred when a vehicle carrying Pler Hassan-Nahum, a member of the Am Ech Israel party, was hit by stones while on a tour of a Palestinian village organized by far-right activists in the West Bank. Police and IDF forces responded to the scene to collect evidence and identify the suspects. The police condemned the violence and vowed to pursue the investigation, especially when public figures are involved. Earlier, the police announced investigations into property damage, suspected arson, and graffiti in Palestinian villages in the West Bank.

The Yish party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, sent a warning letter to the Sports Channel demanding it prevent election propaganda during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected appearance at a football match between Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday. The party argues that Netanyahu's attendance, just eight days before the October 27th elections, is a campaign tactic. Yish requested the channel ensure no speeches or propaganda segments involving Netanyahu are broadcast and that such content be cut in real-time, while allowing for legitimate news and sports coverage.

Ofer Winter, chairman of the Am Ech Israel party, strongly criticized the government following the stone-throwing attack on Hassan-Nahum in the West Bank. He accused the government of failing to combat terrorism and instead engaging in political persecution. Winter questioned how long Israeli citizens would live in fear, stating that the attack, which occurred as participants were leaving the village, involved a "group of terrorists" surrounding their vehicle, throwing stones, shattering a window, and lightly injuring some passengers. Hassan-Nahum stated that Palestinian terrorism would not deter her and that she would continue to fight for Israel's good name. Winter also criticized Communications Minister Shlomo Karai for accusing him of being "on the side of Palestine," asserting his lifelong dedication to fighting Israel's enemies and urging Karai to focus on combating them instead of attacking fighters.