Gabriel 'Gabi' Ashkenazi, born on February 25, 1954, in Tirat HaCarmel, Israel, is a prominent Israeli military leader and politician. He enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 1972, serving initially in the elite Golani Brigade. Over his extensive military career, Ashkenazi rose through the ranks, commanding various units including operations during the 1982 Lebanon War and later serving as head of the Northern Command and Military Intelligence Directorate. Appointed Chief of General Staff (Chief of Staff of the IDF) in 2007, he led the IDF until 2011, overseeing critical operations such as the 2008-2009 Gaza War (Operation Cast Lead) and implementing significant military reforms. His tenure was marked by a focus on intelligence and operational readiness, earning him respect across political spectrums despite controversies over defense strategies. After retiring from active military service, Ashkenazi served as Director General of the Ministry of Defense from 2012 to 2015, advising on security policies. Entering politics in 2019, he joined the centrist Blue and White alliance led by Benny Gantz. Elected to the Knesset, Ashkenazi became Minister of Defense in the 2020 unity government, serving from 2020 to 2021, where he managed responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hezbollah threats, and the 2021 Gaza escalation. He briefly acted in foreign affairs capacities but primarily focused on defense. Known for his moderate, consensus-building approach and deep roots in military intelligence, Ashkenazi has maintained influential ties to security networks. He left the Defense Ministry in 2021 following coalition shifts and has since maintained a lower public profile while remaining influential in security discussions.