Washington – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday that Israel intends to occupy the Gaza Strip temporarily to dismantle Hamas and establish a new civilian administration.
*”We intend to (take control of Gaza) in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free … and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel,”* Netanyahu said in an interview with FOX News, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.
When asked if Israel would fully reoccupy Gaza, as it did before its 2005 withdrawal, Netanyahu clarified: “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter.”
He added, “We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it ini over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving the Gazans a good life.”
Also Read: Families of Hostages Lead Mass Protests Across Israel Against Gaza Annexation Plan
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has drawn widespread condemnation, with over 61,100 Palestinians killed and the enclave left in ruins. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 61,300 as Israeli Offensive Enters Tenth Month
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