Washington, United States: The United States showed its disappointment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s idea to hold Gaza’s security responsibility indefinitely after the onset of the war against Hamas.
The authorities of the US, on Wednesday, claimed that the Gazan territory must be governed by Palestinians. This discussion about ruling the territory came a month after Hamas fighters entered the Israeli border on October 7 and killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians.
Reportedly, the authorities of the United States are having a conversation with the leaders of Israel and Arab leaders about the future of the Gaza Strip without the rule of Hamas.
Antony Blinken’s comment in this regard
On Wednesday, US State Secretary Antony Blinken commented on Washington’s red lines and expectations for the besieged coastal territory.
Amid this trip to Tokyo to attend the G7 Summit, Blinken highlighted, “No reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict ends. No attempt to blockade or besiege Gaza. No reduction in the territory of Gaza,” according to the reports by news agency Reuters.
He further emphasized that the post-war ruling of Gaza must include Palestinian voices and there are chances that “some transition period” must be needed at the end of the conflict. “It must include Palestinian-led governance and Gaza unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority,” he was quoted saying.
Israel to have security responsibility for Gaza says PM Netanyahu
PM Netanyahu, on Monday, told ABC News that the authorities of Israel have been planning to rule and take security responsibility for Gazan territory post-conflict “for an indefinite period.” This comment countered the saying of the US officials who claim that Israel must not interfere in the administration of Gaza after Hamas is eradicated.
According to the reports by Reuters, Netanyahu said, “I think Israel will, for an indefinite period, have the overall security responsibility because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t have that security responsibility.”
This comment was clarified by the officials of Israel and outlined that Israel is not planning to reoccupy Gaza, but they have not articulated how the security will be managed without military deployment – as Israeli forces left the territory in 2005.
Palestinian Authority’s return to Gaza equals the end of Israel’s occupation of territory
The President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has outlined that if the PA will reoccupy Gaza, then it will end its occupation of Israel – which it captured in the Middle East war in 1967.
Earlier this week, PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, during an interview with PBS, stated, “(We) are not going to go to Gaza on an Israeli military tank. We are going to go to Gaza as part of a solution that deals with the question of Palestine, that deals with occupation.”
When did Hamas take over Gaza?
The militant group of Gaza was taken over by the militant group Hamas after a civil war in 2007 with Abbas’ Fatah party. PA failed to take over the administration of Gaza – even after reconciliation talks between the rivals. However, the electricity and water bills are still paid by the PA, along with salaries to the Gazan civil servants.
The fighters of Hamas entered the Gazan borders on October 7; since then, Israel has been continuously bombing Gaza, destroying 2.3 million homes and killing over 10,000 Palestinian population, out of which 40% are children.