The "day after" controversy: The Palestinian side on Saturday strongly rejected the proposals recently made on the Israeli side regarding the day after the war, under which the Gaza Strip would be administered civilianly by residents and local power elements. A statement issued by representatives of clans and tribes in the Gaza Strip said they refused the "Israeli plan" to take responsibility for the management of the Gaza Strip, describing it as a ridiculous idea.
"The Palestinian families in Gaza followed the talk of some of the occupation leaders that tribal dignitaries in Gaza would run civilian life. This is ridiculous and completely unacceptable," it said.
Gazans fleeing to the southern Gaza Strip, Photo: Reuters
In the announcement, the Palestinian families and tribes expressed support for Hamas and said they were behind the terrorist organization. "We will be a safety valve for our people and their courageous resistance. We announce our full support for the Palestinian resistance that led to the Al-Aqsa Flood (the Palestinian term for the October 7 terrorist attacks), which created a strategic shift regarding the Palestinian issue. We reject all the plans of the Zionist occupation around the administration of Gaza because the management of Gaza is an internal Palestinian matter."
The announcement was posted on Hamas-affiliated websites without mentioning the names of the tribes and large families. It is not inconceivable that Hamas initiated the announcement in an attempt to threaten Palestinians who might accede to the Israeli move, and the message is that anyone who agrees to this will be considered by Hamas as collaborating with Israel and will be sentenced to death. In any case, after the announcement was distributed, a statement was also issued by Palestinian clerics that also rejected "Israeli interference in the future of Gaza."
Masses of Gazans evacuate through the humanitarian corridor, Photo: Arab Networks
In internal discussions in Israel, a plan was presented according to which after the third phase of the war, which would concentrate on targeted warfare, there would be a transition to the fourth phase – independent civilian administration of Gaza by local actors.
A source in Gaza told Israel Hayom that it would not be possible to accept any initiative backed by Israel. "Even if there are those who thought it was possible to try this kind of idea, they would not be able to agree to it as long as it is presented as a plan initiated by Israel," he explained.
At the same time, senior Palestinian officials warned against an attempt by Israel to circumvent the Palestinian Authority leadership in determining an outline for managing Gaza. Hussein al-Sheikh, considered number two in the Palestinian Authority, clarified that "the one who will determine the future of Gaza is the Palestinian people, not Israel. All the scenarios proposed by the occupation leaders are doomed to failure."
Hussein a-Sheikh, photo: from the PA Minister of Civil Affairs' Facebook page
The Palestinian presidential office noted that "in response to the plans in Israel around the so-called 'day after,' we once again emphasize the clear position, which is that the top priority is stopping the aggression against our people in Gaza. Any plan without a political horizon based on UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and an end to the occupation, as well as without the PLO and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state – is unacceptable."
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas stressed to the Americans, Europeans and leaders of Arab countries that it was the PA that had to assume overall responsibility for the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria.
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