Defense Minister Israel Katz told local council heads in the Gaza Envelope this morning that a planned reduction in community defense budgets has been called off, the minister said. The announcement follows an earlier report by the Sdot Negev council head that he had been informed of the reversal.
Defense Minister Israel Katz officially confirmed the cancellation of the planned community defense budget cuts this morning, directly informing Gaza Envelope council heads of the decision. The announcement, which came after 08:45 Jerusalem, puts the reversal on the record and follows earlier reports from N12 and the Sdot Negev council head.
The story unfolded this morning within minutes. At 08:38 Jerusalem, N12 first reported that Katz had canceled the planned reduction. Shortly after, at the same timestamp, Sdot Negev Regional Council head Tamir Idan told N12 that the cancellation followed his direct appeal to the Defense Minister's office, adding that the proposed cut suggested "someone confused, thought Hamas had surrendered." Idan also demanded the disarmament of Hamas as a precondition for any negotiations. At 08:45 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported Idan's statement in full. The corroboration thus evolved from a single media report, to an on-record statement from the council head, and finally to an official confirmation by the Defense Minister himself.
The canceled reduction had been a point of concern for border communities, which have relied on enhanced local defense since the October 7 attacks. The decision aligns with Katz's broader security-first policy, which he has emphasized in recent statements regarding the IDF's indefinite presence in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, as The Zioneer reported on June 15 and June 25. Katz has repeatedly stated that the security of Israeli residents is paramount and that the IDF will remain in these zones without a time limit.
No details have been provided about the original budget cut proposal, its scale, or why it was considered. It also remains unclear whether the cancellation applies to all planned reductions or only to the Gaza Envelope communities. The demand by council heads for Hamas disarmament as a precondition for negotiations reflects the sentiment of local leaders but is not government policy.
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