‘Free Gaza from Hamas’ – Netanyahu rules out Israeli administration of Gaza

Israel’s prime minister lays out five principles for post-war Gaza, ruling out Israeli civil administration or annexation, even as IDF maintains security control.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his plans for the postwar rule of Gaza on Sunday while assailing false claims of mass starvation in the Gaza Strip.

In an English-language press conference, Netanyahu delivered a televised address before fielding questions from reporters regarding the war in Gaza and Israel’s plans to further expand aid transfers to the coastal enclave.

Defending the Israeli security cabinet’s decision last Thursday to expand the ground campaign in Gaza, Netanyahu said the planned takeover of Gaza City and the Muwasi area in southern Gaza was meant to liberate Gaza’s civilian population from Hamas rule, and would hasten – not delay – the end of the war.

“The truth is that Hamas still has thousands of armed terrorists in Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “It vows to repeat the savagery of the October 7 massacre. It openly proclaims its goal to destroy the state of Israel. It steals Gazans’ food.”

“They are begging us, they are begging the world: ‘Free us,’” Netanyahu said of Gaza’s civilian population. “Free Gaza from Hamas.”

The Israeli premier listed five goals for ending the war in Gaza and establishing a postwar administration for the area, emphasizing that Israel will not remain in control of Gaza’s population.

“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza. Free it from Hamas terrorists,” he said.

“The war can end tomorrow if Hamas lays down its arms and releases all the remaining hostages. Gaza will be demilitarized, Israel will have overriding security responsibility, a security zone will be established on Gaza’s border with Israel to prevent future terrorist incursions, and a civilian administration will be established in Gaza that will seek to live in peace with Israel. That is our plan for the day after Hamas.”

Under the terms set by Israel’s security cabinet, Israel will retain security control of Gaza while ceding civil administration. Netanyahu declined to name which countries or entities would be responsible for establishing such an administration, while ruling out Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority.

“Hamas disarmed; second, all hostages freed; third, Gaza demilitarized; fourth, Israel has overriding security control; and fifth, non-Israeli peaceful civil administration. By that, I mean a civil administration that doesn’t educate its children for terror, doesn’t pay terrorists, and doesn’t launch terrorist attacks against Israel. That is what we want to see in Gaza. That is neither Hamas nor the PA.”

“Given Hamas’ refusal to lay down its arms, Israel has no choice but to finish its job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”

“We have about 70-75% of Gaza under Israeli military control. But we have two remaining strongholds; these are Gaza City and the central camps of the Muwasi.”

Last week, Netanyahu continued, the Israeli security cabinet “ordered the IDF to dismantle the two remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps.”

“Contrary to false claims, this is the best way to end the war, and the best way to end it speedily.”

Netanyahu also used his opening statement to take aim at false claims by media outlets and foreign governments alleging mass starvation in Gaza fomented by Israel.

Noting the drop in the price of food in Gaza, Netanyahu dismissed claims of starvation, while acknowledging past “deprivations” at the hands of Hamas, and vowing expanded efforts to facilitate even greater aid transfers to Gaza.

Israel’s new plan will enable Gaza civilians to evacuate combat areas to “designated safe zones,” the prime minister said.

“In these safe zones, they’ll be given ample food, water, and medical care.”

“And again, contrary to false claims, throughout the war, our policy has been to prevent a humanitarian crisis, while Hamas’ has been to create it.”

“Since the beginning of the war, Israel has let in close to two million tons of aid. I know of no other army that has enabled such aid to go into the civilian population in enemy territory.”

Blaming the United Nations’ failure to distribute relief sitting on the Gaza frontier, Netanyahu said Israel will take additional steps to ease the movement of aid into Gaza and facilitate greater access by providing secured routes for aid trucks and additional secured depots for handing out goods to Gazans.

Furthermore, the Israeli Air Force itself will continue and expand its relief airdrops in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu blasted false claims of an Israeli campaign to starve residents of the Gaza Strip, comparing the accusations to medieval blood libels.

“Almost the way that the Jewish people were maligned in the Middle Ages. Every massacre of the Jewish people was preceded by massive vilification.”

“Today, the Jewish state is being maligned in a similar way.”

Regarding Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu declared that Israel “will not commit national suicide in order to get a good op-ed.”