Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the six-member war Cabinet, as confirmed by an Israeli official on Monday, following the departure of centrist former general Benny Gantz from the government.

Netanyahu is set to consult with a select group of ministers, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, regarding the Gaza war.

The prime minister had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to be included in the war Cabinet, a move that would have intensified strains with international partners, including the United States.

The forum was formed after Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national unity government at the start of the war in October and also included Gantz's partner, Gadi Eisenkot, and Aryeh Deri, head of the religious party Shas, as observers.

Gantz and Eisenkot both left the government last week, citing Netanyahu's failure to form a strategy for the Gaza war.