"Our intention is to do it in a way that ensures security, removes Hamas and allows the people of Gaza freedom, and then to hand over civilian governance," Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 7/8 when asked if Tel Aviv planned to take control of the entire Gaza Strip.
He emphasized that Israel only wants control, not to establish an administration to govern the territory. "We want a security perimeter, but we don't want to run it. We don't want to be there as the governing authority," he said.
Israel wants to hand Gaza back to "Arab forces," who Netanyahu believes "will govern it properly, give the people of Gaza a good life without a potential threat to us." He added that he would "never" give Gaza to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority (PA).
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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on 27/7. Photo: AFP |
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on 27/7. Photo: AFP
While Arab nations have expressed willingness to support Gaza's reconstruction after the conflict, they have long stated their desire to participate alongside the Palestinian Authority, deeming it crucial for promoting diplomacy toward a two-state solution. Netanyahu's rejection of the PA's role could be an obstacle to the plan for Arab forces to manage the territory.
The Israeli leader affirmed that his country also desires a swift end to the Gaza conflict. "It will end quickly. If Hamas surrenders, lays down its arms and releases the hostages, the war will end tomorrow," he said.
Netanyahu's new comments came ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting on the next phase of the Gaza war. The Israeli prime minister is expected to consult the cabinet on plans to expand the offensive, which could include ground troops operating in densely populated areas where Tel Aviv believes Hamas is holding hostages.
"Netanyahu's plan to escalate the war has shown his desire to abandon the hostages and sacrifice them to pursue his personal interests and agenda," Hamas said in a later statement.
The Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023, after Israel launched an operation in response to Hamas and to rescue hostages. The militant group Hamas had launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Currently, there are about 49 hostages held in Gaza, including 27 whom the Israeli military believes are dead. The Gaza conflict has so far killed more than 61,000 people, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority.
Thuy Lam (Times of Israel, AFP)
