Minister Benny Gantz called for elections to be held in September during a press conference today to "prevent the rift in the nation" after four days of consecutive anti-government protests.

"Such an agreed upon election date will leave us time to continue the security effort, and it will also allow the citizens of Israel to know that we will soon renew the trust between us," he said.

The former defense minister previously ran for the prime minister spot, rivaling Netanyahu until joining together in a parliamentary coalition. Gantz said today that he's spoken with other ministers on the matter and informed Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's current term is set to go through 2026, but thousands have protested against him in recent weeks and demanded early elections be held. Last night, a group of anti-government protesters attempted to break through barricades at Netanyahu's home during the fourth night of demonstrations.