Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel intends to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip to remove Hamas, but does not plan to maintain civilian governance. He said the post-Hamas government would be handed over to “Arab forces” that would not threaten Israel and would be willing to live in peace.
Netanyahu clarified that Israel would not hand control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA), a stance that has been met with rejection from both Hamas and Arab states. He said that a “detailed plan” for this new governance model is being developed, which will include demilitarization and a security perimeter managed by Israel.
The prime minister’s comments have been met with skepticism. Hamas called his plan a “blatant coup,” and a Jordanian official stated that Amman would only support decisions on Gaza’s future that are agreed upon by Palestinians. Furthermore, opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu’s plan, arguing it would lead to more casualties and prolong the war.
Despite the criticism, Netanyahu maintains that the U.S. and Israel agree on the core principles for a post-Hamas Gaza, which include the demilitarization of the area and the establishment of a non-Israeli civilian governing authority.
