Israel's defense minister outlined his vision for the next phase of the war in Gaza, including a more targeted approach in the north while fighting Hamas in the south “for as long as necessary.”
Yoav Gallant explained his proposal for how to do this Gaza It can be played once agitation Defeated, with Israel Maintain security control over the area while an Israeli-led Palestinian body runs day-to-day administration, and the United States and other countries oversee reconstruction.
He said that the operations in the north will include raids, demolition of tunnels, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations Against Hamas.
Galant added that while in the south, the focus will be on eliminating Hamas leaders and rescuing about 130 Israeli hostages who are still being held after their kidnapping on October 7.
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Palestinians take shelter in the Gaza Zoo
Gallant released his plans in a document entitled “A Vision for the Third Phase” of the war, ahead of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit to the Middle East.
His office said the ideas in the document were Mr. Gallant's policy and not official policy. Changes in official policy must be approved by Israel's war and security councils.
This suggests that Gallant, a member of both governments, may be trying to push his personal plan to the Americans before others in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
Israel's war in Gaza is approaching three months and has claimed the lives of more than 22,400 people, more than two-thirds of whom are women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Their number does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
About 85% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people have been expelled from their homes and confined to small parts of the Strip. The Israeli blockade has caused a humanitarian crisis, with a quarter of the population starving due to insufficient supplies entering the region, according to the United Nations.
Israel vowed to destroy Hamas after its October 7 attack, in which the militants killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped about 240 others.
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An Israeli tank in Gaza
Mr. Gallant's statement said the war would continue until Hamas's military and governmental capabilities were eliminated and the Israeli hostages still in captivity were returned.
His calls to form an Israeli-led Palestinian administration in Gaza differ from Washington's vision of a renewed Palestinian authority that would control the Strip and begin negotiations to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which Netanyahu and other Israeli officials rejected.
