Tel Aviv [Israel], August 8 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel intends to take full control of the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas and secure the country’s southern border. Speaking to Fox News on Thursday ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasized that while Israel does not seek to permanently govern the territory, military control is necessary to dismantle Hamas and prepare the way for alternative governance.
“We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza, and to pass it civilian governance,” Netanyahu stated. “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter, but we don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body.”
Netanyahu noted that a detailed plan is in development for post-Hamas governance in Gaza, which will exclude both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Instead, Israel plans to transfer civilian control to Arab forces capable of governing the enclave without posing a threat to Israeli security. “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly, without threatening us, and giving the Gazans a good life,” he added.
Currently, Israel controls approximately 75 percent of the Gaza Strip, having avoided areas where Hamas is believed to be holding hostages. Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian suffering, pointing to ongoing humanitarian aid operations and explaining that much of the visible destruction is a result of Hamas booby-trapping buildings and the collapse of structures above their tunnel networks.
When asked whether former US President Donald Trump had given Israel the “green light” to take over Gaza, Netanyahu said, “He just says, ‘I know Israel will do what it has to do.’” He confirmed that while the U.S. and Israel have discussed general principles for Gaza’s future and increased humanitarian aid, no detailed plan has been agreed upon.
In a follow-up to Netanyahu’s comments, Israel’s security cabinet on Friday approved his plan to occupy Gaza City, a key Hamas stronghold and part of the remaining 25 percent of the territory not yet under Israeli control. According to The Times of Israel, the cabinet endorsed Netanyahu’s proposal to “defeat Hamas,” while promising humanitarian aid to civilians in areas outside active combat zones.
The approved plan outlines five core principles:
- The disarmament of Hamas,
- The return of all remaining hostages (50 in total, with 20 believed to be alive),
- The full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip,
- Continued Israeli security control, and
- The establishment of an alternative civilian administration unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated that a majority of ministers rejected an alternative proposal — reportedly submitted by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir — which opposed a full occupation over concerns about a potential humanitarian disaster and the safety of hostages.
Despite Netanyahu’s broader goal to control all of Gaza, the cabinet’s current approval specifically refers to the occupation of Gaza City. It remains unclear whether other unconquered areas, such as central Gaza’s refugee camps, will be included in subsequent operations.
The situation continues to evolve, with international attention closely watching Israel’s military and political maneuvers in the region. (ANI)
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