Israel proposes military control over Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel will establish military control over the Gaza Strip, but does not wish to rule there.

In an interview with American media Fox News, Netanyahu said that Israel will take control of the entire 26-mile area to liberate Gaza from Hamas and protect the local population. He also clarified, “Our aim is not to occupy this area. We will establish a security perimeter, but will not control it as an administrative body.”

According to the Prime Minister, Israel wants to hand over Gaza to an Arab power that provides efficient governance, does not pose a threat to Israel’s security and provides Gaza residents with a better quality of life. He also made it clear that neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be handed over the administration of Gaza.

Netanyahu claimed that the conflict could end immediately if Hamas laid down its arms and released the hostages. He also mentioned that some Palestinian civilians were also fighting against Hamas.

Hamas has rejected Netanyahu’s proposals. Other Arab nations, including Jordan, have made it clear that they will only accept solutions that are built with the consent of the Palestinian people. Arab countries have expressed a willingness to cooperate in the reconstruction of Gaza, but they consider the participation of the Palestinian Authority to be essential.

Critics argue that Netanyahu’s dismissal of the Palestinian Authority’s role and his failure to present an alternative to Hamas is prolonging the conflict unnecessarily. Netanyahu argues that no alternative arrangement will be sustainable in Gaza without the total defeat of Hamas.