Israel not looking to occupy Gaza but to free it from Hamas: Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed to foreign media on Sunday that he laid out Israel’s plans for the continuation of its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and sought to dispel the “global campaign of lies” about Israel’s conduct, as criticism continues to mount after nearly two years of conflict. He later gave a second lengthy press conference in Hebrew to local media, during he said he wanted to end the war in Gaza as soon as possible, but that his plan to expand the conflict and capture Gaza City was the only way to secure the release of all 50 hostages still held in the Strip. Netanyahu argued that an Israeli takeover of Gaza would in fact enable their release.

Days after his cabinet approved a new major offensive in Gaza City to root out Hamas forces there, the premier denied that Israel intends to occupy Gaza. He described how a future “civilian administration” would be established in the Strip to govern Palestinians in a manner that does not threaten Israel.

The prime minister also lashed out at foreign media for buying into Gaza starvation claims, saying the allegations were largely a “fake” Hamas campaign that the world had fallen for “hook, line and sinker.” He said the three most “celebrated” cases of ostensible Israeli-imposed starvation were all false, and gave details of each.He also claimed the belief by some world leaders that Palestinian statehood would solve the region’s problems was “absurd,” insisting that “Palestinians are not about creating a state; they’re about destroying a state.”

“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to free Gaza, free it from Hamas terrorists,” Netanyahu said. “The war can end tomorrow if Hamas lays down its arms and releases all the remaining hostages,” he said. Describing his five-point postwar vision for the Strip, Netanyahu said: “Gaza will be demilitarized; Israel will have overriding security responsibility; a security zone will be established on Gaza’s border with Israel to prevent future terrorist incursions; a civilian administration will be established in Gaza that will seek to live in peace with Israel.” “That’s our plan. Given Hamas’s refusal to lay down its arms, Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas,” he said.

The Palestinian Authority is not an acceptable option for a role in post-war Gaza, Netanyahu added, accusing it of promoting terrorist activity against Israel. Later, in his Hebrew event, he said the PA ultimately shared the same goal as Hamas of destroying Israel, but sought to do so by first using international bodies such as the UN and International Criminal Court to force an Israeli retreat to “indefensible boundaries,” and then to attack. Hamas had a de facto state in Gaza, he added, which it used “to launch a war of terror against Israel,” and will do so again if it is able.