Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas,” framing current military action as unavoidable given Hamas’s refusal to disarm. He clarified that the goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to free it from Hamas control, emphasizing a relatively short timetable for the operation.
Netanyahu outlined a five-point plan, which includes demilitarizing Gaza, establishing “overriding security control” by the Israeli military, and putting in place a credible civilian administration that would neither be run by Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.
Although the plan authorizes military action in Gaza City and surrounding areas aimed at ending Hamas’s grip, Israel maintains its intent is not to govern Gaza indefinitely. Instead, the objective is to create a security buffer and later transfer governance to Arab or civilian entities deemed non-threatening to Israeli security.
This move is drawing growing international condemnation, with the United Nations, European governments, and human rights groups warning of potentially catastrophic humanitarian impacts—including intensified displacement, dwindling supplies, and a further deepening of the already dire crisis in Gaza.
