Israeli Defense Minister Releases Plan for Next Stage of War

[Midnight]

Israel’s Defense Minister Releases Plan for Next Stage of War, ‘Day After’ Hamas Defeated

JOEL B. POLLAK
4 Jan 2024

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant released a plan on Thursday that outlines his vision for the next phase of the war against Hamas in Gaza, and for the structure of government in Gaza once Hamas has been destroyed.



It is not clear whether Gallant’s plan is an official government plan, but it was distributed by Israel’s Government Press Office. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deferred meeting with his Cabinet to draft a formal plan for postwar Gaza, though he has said that the corrupt Palestinian Authority, which currently governs most Palestinians who live in the West Bank and encourages terrorism, should not be allowed to return to Gaza.



Gallant’s plan could therefore be a trial balloon — one distributed by the Netanyahu government but not formally adopted by it.



It begins with a description of the next stage (“Phase III”) of the war: “Fighting will continue until the goals of the war are achieved: (1) the return of the hostages, (2) the dismantling of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and (3) the removal of military threats from the Gaza strip.”



In the northern Gaza Strip, where Hamas has largely been eliminated, Gallant suggests that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will scale down operations, but will continue with “raids, the destruction of terror tunnels, aerial and ground activities, and special operations.”



In the southern Gaza Strip, where fighting is still intense, Gallant says that “operational efforts [will] focus on eliminating Hamas leadership and enabling the return of the hostages,” and that the IDF will continue to fight there “for as long as is deemed necessary.”



In “Phase IV,” or “The Day After,” Gallant suggests that Hamas will not control Gaza; that the Israeli military will have “operational freedom” in Gaza; that there will be no Israeli civilian resettlement in Gaza; that local “non-hostile” Palestinians will govern; and that the U.S. will lead a multinational “task force,” together with European and Arab nations, to rebuild the area. Israel will also retain the ability to inspect all goods entering Gaza, and Egypt will have a consultative role.



Crucially, the Palestinian Authority is completely excluded from the plan.


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