TEL AVIV: A key governing partner of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that it is quitting the government, effectively leaving him with a minority in parliament.

The Shas ultra-Orthodox party cited disagreements surrounding a proposed law aimed at granting wide military draft exemptions to its constituents as the primary reason for its departure.

This decision follows the withdrawal of another ultra-Orthodox party earlier this week due to similar concerns regarding the same issue.

By leading a minority government, Netanyahu faces significant challenges in governing.

However, Shas has stated that it will not work against the coalition from outside and may vote in favor of certain laws.

The party also indicated that it would not support the collapse of the coalition.

This political turmoil comes at a time when Israel and Hamas are engaged in negotiations over a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

While the shake-up in Netanyahu's government may not necessarily derail these talks, it increases Netanyahu's vulnerability to the demands of his far-right coalition partners, who strongly oppose ending the conflict while Hamas remains intact.