Israeli National Security Council Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi announced on Tuesday that an alternative to Hamas in the Gaza Strip whose policy will emerge within days, given the inability to eliminate the movement as an idea.
Hanegbi said, in his speech during the Herzliya Security Conference at Reichman University in Tel Aviv, that Hamas cannot be eliminated as an idea, and that Israel needs an alternative idea, not just the destruction of Hamas’ military capabilities, and in the coming days the policy of this alternative will come to light, and that – He said – without providing further details in this regard.
He added that Israel is discussing with the United States how the United Nations, European countries, and moderate Arab countries can find an alternative to Hamas’ rule in Gaza, as he put it.
Hanegbi acknowledged that Israel is going through one of the most difficult times ever, and that one can debate how we got here (this situation)? And who is to blame?
For its part, the Israeli Ministry of Defense said that Defense Minister Yoav Galant met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at the State Department headquarters in Washington, and discussed with him – among other files – finding an alternative to Hamas’ rule in the Gaza Strip.
She added, “Gallant discussed the necessity of exerting more pressure on Hamas, in order to ensure the return of the hostages held in Gaza, and he also discussed the importance of strengthening an alternative to it to rule the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas refuses
Commenting on Hanegbi’s statements, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) confirmed, on Tuesday evening, its rejection of Israel’s plans regarding the fate of the Gaza Strip after the war, and stressed that its future will be decided by the Palestinian people.
In a statement, Hamas criticized Hanegbi’s speech about “the day after the criminal war on the Gaza Strip, the political future of our Palestinian people, and his announcement of plans that his government is discussing with the American administration and other parties.”
She considered that this represents “an insistence on the part of this fascist government to follow the path of failure and disappointment,” stressing that “these malicious plans will not find a way to be implemented, in the face of the steadfastness and will of our people.”
She also stressed that “the fate of our Palestinian people, and the future of the Gaza Strip after defeating this criminal aggression, are decided by our Palestinian people, and no one else.”
Hamas has repeatedly announced its rejection of any plans regarding what Israel calls the day after the end of the war, and stressed that the future of Gaza is decided by the Palestinian people without any external interference.
Although more than 8 months have passed since the start of its aggression against the Gaza Strip, Israel has been unable to achieve any of its declared goals of the war, especially the recovery of Israeli prisoners and the elimination of Hamas’ capabilities.
With American support, Israel has been waging a war on Gaza since last October 7, which left about 124,000 martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing.