Israel’s Defence Minister has publicly presented for the first time proposals for the post-war administration of Gaza, where officials said on Friday unrelenting bombardment has killed dozens over 24 hours.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s plan for the “day after”, shared with the media late on Thursday but not yet adopted by Israel’s war cabinet, says that neither Israel nor Hamas will govern Gaza and rejects future Jewish settlements there.
The Minister’s broad outline was unveiled on the eve of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s fourth trip to the region since a Hamas attack on October 7 triggered the war.
The bombing continued through the night in the southern areas of Khan Younis and Rafah as well as parts of central Gaza.
The Israeli Army said its forces had “struck over 100 targets” across Gaza over the past 24 hours.
The Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said it had recorded 162 deaths also over the past 24 hours.
According to Mr. Gallant’s proposed outline, the war will continue until Israel has dismantled Hamas’s “military and governing capabilities” and secured the return of hostages.
After Israel achieves its objectives — for which the proposal sets no timeline — Palestinian “civil committees” will begin assuming control of the territory’s governance, it said.
“Hamas will not govern Gaza, (and) Israel will not govern Gaza’s civilians,” the plan said, while offering little concrete detail.
“Palestinian bodies will be in charge, with the condition that there will be no hostile actions or threats against the State of Israel.”
Israel launched its campaign against Hamas after the militant group’s October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people, most of them civilians.
