Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the head of the country's Shin Bet domestic security service Ronen Bar that he plans to bring his dismissal before the government this week, a statement from Netanyahu's office said on Sunday.

"We are in the midst of a war for our very existence - a war on seven fronts," Netanyahu said in a press release. "At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the Shin Bet chief.

"But unfortunately, the situation is exactly the opposite – I do not have such confidence," the prime minister said. "I have a continuing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet. A distrust that has grown over time."

Netanyhau stressed that he is "full of appreciation for the women and men of the Shin Bet," but that Bar's removal step is necessary for "the rehabilitation of the organization, for achieving all of our war goals, and for preventing the next disaster."

The war was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 surprise attack, widely seen as Israel's worst security failure, which led to its single deadliest day, with 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Shin Bet is currently part of an investigation into possible links between employees in Netanyahu's office and Qatar, which has been mediating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel.