Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presented a post-war plan for Gaza to his security cabinet, outlining the proposed management of Gaza following the ongoing conflict, the Times of Israel has reported. The document reveals a series of points that aim to reshape the governance and security landscape in the Gaza Strip.
Isreal says it is continuing the war until specific goals are achieved, including the dismantlement of military capabilities and infrastructure operated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
After the war, Isreal plans to fully control Gaza, including the selection of local officials who will run the enclave. The involvement of representatives from the Palestinian Authority remains uncertain.
In a direct attempt to garner western support, the post-Gaza war plan proposes a comprehensive de-radicalisation plan in religious, educational, and welfare institutions in the strip. The plan proposes the complete demilitarisation of Gaza beyond what is necessary for maintaining public order. According to the plan, reconstruction efforts will only commence post-de-militarisation and the initiation of a de-radicalisation process, a move that analysts say signals Israel’s intention to indefinitely occupy Gaza and build jewish settlements within the territory.
The plan also claims Israel’s right to indefinitely occupy Palestinian territories including Gaza to prevent the resurgence of any resistance to its 75-year occupation of the Palestinian territories, which is considered illegal under international law. A security buffer zone on the Palestinian side of the Strip’s border will be established and maintained as long as there is a perceived security need, according to Netanyahu. Israel plans to enforce a southern closure on the Egypt-Gaza border with assistance from the US and cooperation with Egypt as much as possible.
Israel claims its intention to maintain security control over the entire area west of the Jordan River, using land, air, and sea capabilities to thwart threats from the occupied West Bank. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) will be shut down as part of the proposed Israeli plan, putting the oppressed Palestinian population solely at the mercy of the Israeli government and military forces.
Israel rejects any international involvement regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians and insists on direct negotiations between the parties. It also opposes any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
As part of the Isreal’s plans for dismantling UNRWA, western donors have already frozen funds, leading the UN agency to declare a “breaking point.” The agency emphasised this situation coincided with unprecedented humanitarian needs in Gaza, placing a strain on resources.
As Isreal continues its plans to extend and expand its occupation of the Palestinian territories, reports say Israeli forces have re-entered the besieged Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. This move comes after a brief withdrawal, with the medical centre experiencing deteriorating conditions. In its ongoing war on Gaza, which began in 7 October, Israel has killed at least 29,514 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with another 69,616 people have been injured. Over 100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Namibia’s Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab, urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to recognise Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories as illegal. Addressing the ICJ, Minister Dausab declared that Namibia considers it a moral duty and a sacred responsibility to appear before this court and confront the issue of the indefensible occupation of Palestine by Israel. The Minister drew parallels between the struggles of Palestine and Namibia, describing them as striking and painful.
Highlighting Namibia’s own history of liberation, Minister Dausab noted that the ICJ played a crucial role in the country’s struggle against apartheid. In 1971, the court’s opinion confirmed the right to self-determination as a legal imperative, paving the way for Namibia’s eventual independence in 1990. Drawing upon this historical context, the Minister appealed to the ICJ to acknowledge the urgent need for justice in the Palestinian territories.
The Israeli army’s shelling of residential homes in central Gaza has resulted in the loss of at least 40 Palestinian lives, according to local authorities. The Gaza death toll currently stands at 29,514.
