The Israeli Minister of Defence has proposed that Israel maintain security control over Gaza following Hamas’ defeat, with an unspecified Palestinian organization led by Israel and tasked with day-to-day operations, while the United States, European Union, and regional partners assume responsibility for the territory’s reconstruction.
Yoav Gallant revealed the idea to the media on Thursday before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared. This was in response to mounting American pressure on Israel to present postwar scenarios.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza would continue until the detainees liberated on October 7, and Hamas’ “military and governing capabilities” dismantled, according to Gallant’s plan, which is not official policy and has not yet been presented to other ministers.
The outline then states that “Hamas will not control Gaza and will not pose a security threat to the citizens of Israel”. Unspecified Palestinian entities, presumably local civil servants or communal leaders, would assume governance of the territory.
US demands for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to assume control of the territory, which has been governed by Hamas since 2005, and the initiation of fresh negotiations towards the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel stand in stark contrast to the vision presented by Gallant. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has rejected the United States’ proposal.
According to the plan, Israel would retain the right to conduct operations within the territory, but “no Israeli civilian presence in the Gaza Strip once the war’s objectives have been accomplished,” as stated by Gallant.
“Because the inhabitants of Gaza are Palestinian, Palestinian entities will be in charge, provided that no hostile actions or threats are directed at the state of Israel,” Gallant’s outline stated, without providing further information.
Developments and Challenges in Gaza
Israeli media reported earlier this week that military and intelligence officials supported dividing Gaza into regions and sub-regions, with local leaders deemed trustworthy to oversee civil administration and the distribution of humanitarian aid in each area.
In addition to discussing the future governance of Gaza during his upcoming discussions with Israel, Blinken is anticipated to advocate for increased aid to Gaza and work towards averting any potential regional escalation this weekend.
In the past, the Biden administration has been credited with swaying Israel on a number of aid issues. Including the entry of commercial trucks and gas-constrained vehicles. This week, Israeli officials speculated that additional Israeli entry points could be opened to transport additional aid to northern Gaza.
Gallant suggested a more targeted effort against Hamas fighters and commanders in response to US pressure.
After nearly three months of devastation caused by ground assaults and bombardment, the United States has been pressuring Israel. The focus is on transitioning to targeting Hamas with lower-intensity military operations in Gaza. In an uncommon public critique, President Joe Biden cautioned Israel last month. He highlighted that its “indiscriminate bombing” was resulting in the loss of international support.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reports that almost two-thirds of those killed in Israel’s attack are women and children. Thousands more are believed to be buried beneath the rubble, and tens of thousands have been injured.
On October 7, Hamas dispatched thousands of militants into southern Israel. They abducted 240 individuals and murdered approximately 1,200, the majority of whom were civilians. This prompted the initiation of the offensive.
According to health authorities in Gaza, over twenty Palestinians were killed by Israeli shelling on Thursday, sixteen of whom were in Khan Younis, a city in the southern coastal region teeming with refugees from other regions of the territory.
Israeli Strategy and Concerns
They stated that nine children were among the deceased. An Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in al-Nuseirat refugee camp killed five Palestinians, according to health officials. According to Gazanians, Israeli planes and tanks bombarded two other refugee centres, forcing many to flee south.
On Friday, residents of Khan Younis reported that they could hear bombardment or airstrikes “around the clock.”
According to Gallant’s statement, Israeli forces in northern Gaza would adopt a “new combat approach” that prioritized raids, tunnel demolition, “air and ground activities, and special operations.” The objective would be “the erosion” of the remaining Hamas presence in the northern portion of the territory. While combat would continue “for as long as necessary” in the southern portion.
Immediate clarity did not exist regarding how this might diverge from ongoing operations.
There was no information on whether most northern Gaza residents expelled southward could return home.
A further source of concern for the Biden administration has been far-right cabinet members of Netanyahu’s advocacy for the mass exodus of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
The demands elicited disapproval from Arab states, which emphasized concerns that Israel seeks to expel Palestinians from territory where they intend to establish a future state, in addition to the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
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Gallant ruled out demands from the far right of Israel for the return of Jewish settlers to the territory. He stated unequivocally that there would be no Israeli civilians in Gaza.
A significant portion of northern Gaza, which was also infiltrated by troops two months ago, is in devastation. Approximately 85 percent of the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza have been displaced and compelled to reside in ever-smaller areas. A quarter of the population is currently famished, according to the United Nations, because insufficient supplies are entering.
