A demilitarized Gaza Strip, whose security will be guaranteed by Israel and where UNRWA does not exist. It is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan for “the day after” the conflict contained in a document, presented last night to the war cabinet for approval and published today by the prime minister's office. Meanwhile, the Hamas Health Minister has
announced that the new death toll in Gaza has risen to 29,514 deaths.
Netanyahu recalled the short-term objectives: to destroy the military capabilities and government infrastructure of both Hamas and Jihad. Gaza, he says, will no longer be a threat.
In the medium term, the president announced a Strip where Israel will maintain freedom of military operations “without time limits”, with Israeli control of the border between Gaza and Egypt to prevent the reappearance of “terrorist elements”.
“The “Southern Fence” will operate, to the extent possible, in cooperation with Egypt and with the assistance of the United States, and will rely on measures to prevent smuggling, both underground and by air, including at the Rafah crossing.”
Furthermore, Israel says it will maintain security control over the West Bank and Gaza, while “there will be complete demilitarization” in the enclave.
As for civil administration and public order, they would be regulated by local officials with administrative experience far from “countries or entities that support terrorism and will not receive any payments from them”, reads the document, which announces a “program global” of what is called deradicalization of religious and educational institutions in the enclave, with the help of other Arab countries.
In the long term, Netanyahu insists on the rejection of a Palestinian state or on the “international dictates of a permanent agreement” and predicts the end of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNRWA), “whose agents were involved in the massacre of 7 October”.
“Israel will work to stop UNRWA activities in the Gaza Strip and replace them with responsible international humanitarian agencies,” the plan specifies.