Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz was hospitalized on Tuesday and is scheduled to undergo back surgery on Wednesday morning at Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer.

Doctors will be attempting to correct an injury that Gantz suffered during his military career which has gotten drastically worse over the past few months.

Gantz underwent a series of tests by the orthopedic department when he arrived at the hospital. After the tests, he is scheduled to undergo the surgery in the morning.

The Defense Ministry issued a statement that said that updates on the minister’s condition will be forthcoming throughout the night as needed.

Gantz spent the day touring the command center of the Coronavirus task force of the Home Front Command and visited an airforce base in Haifa. As evening drew near, he held a number of meetings in the defense headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv. During the surgery, Minister Michael Bitton will be filling in for Gantz leading the Defense Ministry until Gantz is given the okay to return to his duties.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)