In the video: Galant on the Salah a-Din route in the Gaza Strip: "The feeling that we are on the way to stopping is wrong"/IDF Spokesperson
Defense Minister Yoav Galant and the defense establishment will present Thursday evening to the War Cabinet and the Political Security Cabinet their position on the day after the war in Gaza, which includes the integration of the existing Palestinian bureaucracy in Gaza into any mechanism for civilian management of the Gaza Strip in the future.
"Hamas will not control Gaza, Israel will not control Gaza," Gallant told reporters at a briefing before the cabinet meeting. He clarified that the defense establishment's position is that "Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip and therefore those who will be civilly responsible are Palestinian elements, provided they are not hostile to the State of Israel and cannot act against it."
On the security level, Galant stressed that there would be no change in the goals of the war: "Hamas will not control the Gaza Strip and will not reflect a security threat to Israeli citizens, and Israel will preserve the military freedom of action in the Gaza Strip - without restrictions."
On the civilian level, Galant stressed that "Israel will not be civilly responsible for Gaza and that there will be no civilian Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip after achieving the objectives of the war." This is a position contrary to that of the extreme religious right parties in the government, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit, which are pressing to encourage the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and reestablish settlements.
"Hamas will not control Gaza, Israel will not control civilians in Gaza." Galant assessing the situation with senior defense officials/official website, Ariel Hermony, Ministry of Defense
In a briefing to reporters, Gallant presented what he called the "civilian square" — which includes four vertices: Israel, Egypt, a multinational task force led by the United States, and Palestinian governmental-administrative elements in Gaza itself.
According to the outline, Israel will provide information to direct the civilian activities of the MF, inspect all goods entering the Gaza Strip, and formulate, together with Egypt and the United States, a mechanism for inspecting goods and effectively isolating the border between Gaza and Egypt by technological and physical means.
According to the defense establishment's proposal, a multinational task force led by the United States, in partnership with Western European countries and moderate Arab countries, will be established to take responsibility for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip – economically and physically – and will serve as the liaison between Israel and local Palestinian elements. According to the plan, the local administration of the Palestinians will be based on the capabilities of the existing administrative apparatus in the Gaza Strip and on local committees based on Gazan elements, which Israel will approve in advance and on condition that they are not hostile to Israel.
More in Walla!
From the layoffs that never happened to the war: Gallant's dramatic year at the Ministry of Defense
See full article >
More on the subject:
- Netanyahu to the families of the abductees: The possibility of expelling the Hamas leadership from Gaza is being considered
- As long as there are no negotiations for a hostage deal: IDF leadership demands reduction in humanitarian aid to Gaza
- Netanyahu to MKs: "There is a false pretense that they are going to stop, back a long war"
- Saving from the start: how to start saving in four easy steps
Galant noted that the transition from the current phase of the war (phase two) to the next phase (phase three) will include a transition to a new method of warfare in the northern Gaza Strip – raids, underground destruction, air and ground attacks, and special operations. In the southern Gaza Strip, there will be a deliberate operational effort to eliminate the Hamas leadership and release the hostages. "This is a 'cross-stage' effort and will continue for as long as necessary," the defense minister said.
He added that "the objective of the fighting at this stage is to erode the remaining 'pockets of resistance' on the ground and at the same time allow the promotion of a different governmental alternative that is not hostile to Israel."
- More on the subject:
- Yoav Galant
- The Political-Security Cabinet
- cabinet
- Iron Sword War
- Gaza War
- Gaza Strip
- The defense establishment
- United States