Israel-Gaza updates: Gantz rejects Netanyahu's request, resigns

He said Netanyahu is "preventing us from progressing towards a true victory."

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.


US calls for Security Council vote on Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal resolution

The U.S. is calling for the United Nations Security Council to vote on a draft resolution urging Hamas to accept the ceasefire-hostage release deal on the table, according to a statement from the spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN.

"Israel has accepted this proposal and the Security Council has an opportunity to speak with one voice and call on Hamas to do the same," the statement read. "Doing so would help save lives and the suffering of civilians in Gaza as well as the hostages and their families. Council Members should not let this opportunity to pass by and must speak with one voice in support of this deal."

The Security Council vote has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford


United States doubling down on efforts for Israel to reach a cease-fire

The United States is doubling down efforts to reach a cease-fire deal as pressure mounts on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar this week to discuss a cease-fire agreement that secures the release of all hostages, according to the State Department’s announcement Friday.

While Blinken traveling to the region should not be seen as a marker of further progress in reaching a deal, he will be putting pressure on the respective countries’ officials when he’s there.

A U.S. official told ABC News the intelligence that the U.S. provided to Israel in the latest hostage rescue operation was related to "support with locating individuals."

Currently, there are five American hostages the U.S. believes are still living and three that the U.S. has confirmed are deceased.

The White House is not commenting on the resignation of Centrist Israeli minister Benny Gantz on Sunday, as they don’t comment on domestic Israeli politics.

-ABC News' Selina Weng


Gantz resigns from emergency government in blow to Netanyahu

Centrist Israeli minister Benny Gantz announced Sunday that he was resigning from the emergency government because of what he has described as a lack of a plan from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the "day after" in Gaza.

During a televised news conference, Gantz announced he was resigning from the coalition government, taking with him his State Party and the seats it held in the Knesset. Netanyahu's coalition government will still retain a majority, but the move by Gantz is considered a major blow to the prime minister.

"Netanyahu is preventing us from progressing towards a true victory," Gantz said. "For this reason, we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart, yet wholeheartedly."

He also called on Netanyahu to set a date for elections.

Gantz was set to make the announcement on Saturday but called it off amid the news of an Israel Defense Forces operation in Gaza that led to the rescue of four Israeli hostages.

Gantz is a member of Israel’s three-member war Cabinet, which includes Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

On Saturday, Netanyahu appealed to Gantz on X, saying, "This is the time for unity and not for division. We must remain united within ourselves in the face of the great tasks before us. I call on Benny Gantz -- do not leave the emergency government. Don't give up on unity."

Following Gantz's resignation, Netanyahu released a statement on X, saying, "Israel is in an existential war on several fronts."

"Benny, this is not the time to abandon the campaign -- this is the time to join forces," Netanyahu said. "Citizens of Israel, we will continue until victory and the achievement of all the goals of the war, primarily the release of all our hostages and the elimination of Hamas."

Netanyahu added, "My door will remain open to any Zionist party that is ready to get under the stretcher and assist in bringing victory over our enemies and ensuring the safety of our citizens."

In May, Gantz issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu, saying he would resign if the prime minister did not approve a post-war plan by June 8, saying at the time, "While the Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the men who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility."

-ABC News' Jordana Miller



Hamas military wing claims 3 hostages, including American, killed in raid

The Hamas military wing claimed in a statement Sunday that three hostages, including an American citizen, were killed in Saturday's rescue operation in central Gaza that was carried out by the Israel Defense Forces.

The IDF told ABC News on Sunday it had no knowledge of hostage deaths occurring during Saturday's raid on the Nuseirat refugee camp, in which four hostages were rescued.

In its statement, Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades accused the Israeli government of being untruthful about the circumstances of the raid.

"In exchange for them, your own army killed three of your own captives in the same attack; one of them holds an American citizenship," the Al-Qassam Brigades statement said. "Time is running out. Your government is lying."

A White House National Security Council spokesperson said Sunday they have "seen nothing to corroborate" the claims that three other hostages, including an American, were killed during the raid.

"We have seen nothing to corroborate these claims. We are of course continuing to assess the claims," the spokesperson told ABC News.

At least 274 people were killed when the Israeli military moved into the Nuseirat camp to rescue hostages, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday. Israel's military said no more than 100 civilians were killed in the operation.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaulé, Jordana Miller and Michelle Stoddart


US says Hamas' opposition to cease-fire proposal was not officially transmitted

The U.S. continues to push Hamas to agree to the cease-fire proposal President Joe Biden outlined Friday, saying Hamas' stated opposition to the deal has yet to be officially transmitted.

"We've seen some public comments from Hamas officials, but we have not yet gotten an official response from Hamas to the Qataris, who are the mediator to whom Israel gave their proposal that was transmitted to Hamas," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America" Wednesday.

"The ball is in Hamas's court," Sullivan continued. "Israel has accepted the proposal. The world has endorsed the proposal. Now it's time for Hamas to say yes to it."

Sullivan argued the latest multi-phase proposal is key to ending the war, returning hostages, and increasing the flow of aid into Gaza, while ensuring Israel's security and a better future for Palestinians.

"That's what's on offer," Sullivan said. "That's what Hamas needs to step up and take and we're awaiting to get their official response."

Asked whether Biden thinks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was prolonging the war for political gain — which he suggested in a Time magazine interview out Tuesday — Sullivan pointed to Biden's answer to a question Tuesday evening asking if Netanyahu was playing politics.

"I don't think so. He's trying to work out the serious problem he has," Biden said Tuesday.

"And from our perspective, we're not going to delve into Israeli politics," Sullivan added. "What we're going to do is focus on the fundamental task at hand, which is President Biden's effort to end this war, get the hostages home, make sure Israel's safe and make sure the Palestinian people have a decent future."

-ABC News' Fritz Farrow