Netanyahu's coalition government reached collapse as ultra-Orthodox rabbinical leaders severed all communication with the Prime Minister over military draft legislation. By morning, both major Haredi parties—United Torah Judaism and Shas—decided to support dissolving the Knesset after failed negotiations with Speaker Edelstein.
The crisis deepened when leaked recordings revealed Netanyahu's admission that he fired Defense Minister Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Halevi specifically to advance ultra-Orthodox draft exemptions. "When the Defense Minister and Chief of Staff are against you, you can't move forward," Netanyahu told a rabbi in March.
Reserve Staff Sergeant Alon Farkas, 27, was killed in fighting in Gaza's Shejaiya neighborhood, continuing the war's toll. The US vetoed a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution while Iran's Supreme Leader rejected American nuclear proposals. Netanyahu's evening meeting with Edelstein yielded claims of "bridging gaps," though ultra-Orthodox parties remained committed to government dissolution.