Israel intends to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip before handing it over to armed forces that will "govern it properly", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
In an interview with Fox News, the Israeli leader said his country does not want to “keep” or “govern” the territory, but suggested an eventual transition to an alternative authority that does not threaten Israel.
When asked if Israel would take control of the whole 26-mile Strip, Netanyahu responded: “We intend to. 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.”
He added: “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly, without threatening us, and [to give] Gazans a good life.”
Netanyahu is expected to meet security officials to discuss a potential expansion of Israel’s military operation following the collapse of ceasefire talks last month.
The meeting, which was set to begin at 4pm BST on Thursday and last two hours, could result in a decision to fully reoccupy Gaza — something Israel has not done since withdrawing troops and settlers nearly 20 years ago.
Such a move would be aimed at strengthening Israeli security but carries significant humanitarian and diplomatic risks.
Netanyahu described the removal of Hamas from power in Gaza as a key priority, saying: “We intend to in order to ensure our security, remove Hamas from there, enable all the population to be free of Hamas and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas nor anyone advocating the destruction of Israel.”
He added: “The goal is to liberate ourselves and the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”
Hamas has said it will not disarm until a sovereign Palestinian state is established.
The comments come after several countries, including Canada and France, announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state. The UK has also said it would do so if Israel fails to meet certain conditions by September.
Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the United States, broke down two weeks ago in Qatar. Disagreements reportedly remain over key issues, including a permanent ceasefire, Israeli troop withdrawal and the distribution of humanitarian aid.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas had shown “a lack of desire” in response to the most recent proposal.
Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 251 others.
Israel’s military response has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The group still holds 50 hostages, with around 20 believed to be alive.
