Who Would Run Gaza After Hamas? Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Lays Out Post-War Plan

(MENAFN- Live Mint) "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his first official \"day after\" plan for the Gaza Strip once the war with the Hamas militant group there ends. To replace Hamas rule in Gaza, he suggested working with local representatives \"who are not affiliated with terrorist countries or groups and are not financially supported by them\".Under his plan, Israel would keep security control over all Palestinian areas. As per the document seen by Reuters, Israel aims to maintain security control over all land west of Jordan. This includes the occupied West bank and Gaza - the territories where the Palestinians hope to establish an independent state, Netanyahu's plan also suggested way to replace Hamas rule in Gaza while maintaining public order. In place of Hamas, he talked about working with local representatives \"who are not affiliated with terrorist countries or groups and are not financially supported by them\".Netanyahu reportedly rejected the \"unilateral recognition\" of a Palestinian state. He argued that a settlement with the Palestinians would only be achieved through direct negotiations between the two sides. This was among the \"long-term goals\" listed in the document had earlier argued that the establishment of a Palestinian state \"would endanger the existence of the State of Israel\".Among the mid-term goals was \"demilitarization and deradicalization\" in Gaza. Without specifying any details of this plan, Netanyahu conditioned the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip on its complete demilitarisation, Reuters reported per the BBC, the document suggested Arab countries with experience of \"de-radicalisation\" programmes would be involved, though Netanyahu did not specify which. Israel would be responsible for removing all military capability beyond that necessary for public order, the report added would be a \"Southern Closure\" on the territory's border with Egypt. Netanyahu proposed for Israel to have a presence on the Gaza-Egypt border in the south of the enclave and cooperate with Egypt and the United States in that area to prevent smuggling attempts, including at the Rafah crossing, the Israeli Prime Minister demanded the shutting down of the UN Palestinian refugees agency UNRWA and replacing it with other international aid group document was presented by Netanyahu to the security cabinet on Thursday. There are chances that the cabinet could still demand amendments to the plan.\"The prime minister's document of principles reflects broad public consensus over the goals of the war and for replacing Hamas rule in Gaza with a civilian alternative,\" a statement by the Prime Minister's office said warThe war between Israel and Hamas started in October 2023 after a surprise by the Hamas militant group killed around 1200 people in parts of Israel. As many as 253 people and children were taken hostage by Hamas, according to Israeli counts.\"The release of hostages can be achieved through strong military action and tough negotiations, very tough negotiations. That tough position has to involve the exertion of pressure,\" Prime Minister Netanyahu said on February 19.

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