In statements to American media, in response to a question about whether Israel plans to control the entire region, it was clarified: “To ensure our security, we intend to remove Hamas from there, enable the residents to live freely, and hand it over to civilian governance that is neither from Hamas nor those calling for the destruction of Israel.” It was added that at the same time, “Israel does not want to retain it,” but intends to establish a security perimeter.
The Israeli security council is expected to hold a meeting today, Thursday, to discuss the possibility of expanding military operations in the Gaza Strip, a move anticipated to provoke widespread opposition, both internationally and within Israel, including from families of those held by Hamas.
Since October 7, 2023, Gaza has witnessed the most violent war in the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, following a large-scale military campaign by Israel in response to a surprise attack by the Palestinian Hamas movement on southern Israel. The war has resulted in massive destruction in the besieged strip and caused tens of thousands of casualties, most of whom are civilians, amid a near-total collapse of health and humanitarian infrastructure.
Amid the imposed siege and blocked land routes, delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza’s residents has become an arduous task, especially in the northern and central regions. International and Arab efforts have intensified, including air-dropping aid, in an attempt to alleviate the escalating humanitarian catastrophe, with warnings of an imminent famine and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
