Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly set out plans for Israel to take full military control of Gaza, saying the country’s goal is to wipe out Hamas, but not to keep governing the territory long term. The comments came ahead of a major security cabinet meeting on Thursday night as Israel looks to intensify its 22-month military campaign in Gaza, even as it pushes Palestine deeper into crisis.
Asked in an interview with Fox News on whether Israel would take over all of Gaza, Netanyahu replied: “We intend to.”
He said, “We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of [Hamas] and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel. That’s what we want to do. We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”
When asked if Israel wanted to keep control of Gaza, Netanyahu was blunt: “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That’s not possible with Hamas.”
What does this mean for Gaza’s future?
Netanyahu did not mention a timeline for either the military operation or handing over Gaza, and the cabinet still needs to give the green light for the expanded military campaign. Israel already controls around three-quarters of Gaza.
The new proposal, however, goes against mounting international calls for a ceasefire — even as civilian casualties rise and aid agencies warn of disaster for Gaza’s population.
Netanyahu’s blueprints also run counter to the “two-state solution” favoured by Australia and many Western leaders. Instead, he has floated the idea of passing control to “friendly Arab countries” but named no specific partners or plan for how this would happen.
The idea of occupying all of Gaza has been met with resistance from inside Israel. The BBC reported that Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir and other top military leaders are against a full re-occupation. However, Israeli media say that, despite these concerns, the security cabinet is expected to approve Netanyahu’s plan.
Outside Israel, key Western allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all urged a halt to fighting and more aid for Gaza’s civilians. The three leaders have also signalled readiness to recognise a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu strongly opposes, accusing them of “appeasing terrorists”.
Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese is steadfast in his wait for a “two-state solution”, although he is reportedly “pursuing” a phone call with Netanyahu following an estimated 300,000 people who crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge in protest of the attrocities happening in Gaza because of Israel’s military campaign.
Inside Gaza, things are dire. A local resident, Maysaa al-Heila, told AP, “There is nothing left to occupy. There is no Gaza left.”
At least 61,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and most of Gaza’s population has fled their homes.
Doctors Without Borders and other aid groups warn of “mismanagement, chaos and violence” at food distribution sites, with hundreds killed in recent weeks trying to access food and supplies.
As the unimaginable cruelty continues to grind on with no clear end in sight, everyday Gazans are left picking through the ruins, facing uncertainty about what — and who — will shape their future.
Lead image: Getty / AP News
The post Netanyahu Says He Wants To Fully Control Gaza ‘But Doesn’t Want To Keep It’ appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
