Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet voted unanimously to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, marking the first time in Israeli history that the government has fired the head of the domestic security agency. Netanyahu claimed lack of trust in Bar after the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on southern Israel. Bar responded by accusing the government of invalid motives and warned that the investigation into Qatar's involvement in Israeli decision-making could be jeopardized. The move to fire Bar sparked mass protests across the country, with critics fearing that the prime minister is seeking to replace Bar with a loyalist who will quash the ongoing Qatar probe.