Israel seeks a ‘governing alternative’ to Hamas in Gaza. It’s been tried and failed before
- Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant proposes a post-war scenario for the Gaza Strip
- Iran-backed Hamas, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, has ruled Gaza since 2007
Israel is looking into an alternative local governing body for Gaza, the defence minister said, proposing a future beyond Hamas but giving no idea who those challengers might be.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s comments on Sunday came at a time of new uncertainty in the eight-month war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing pressure from many Israelis to accept a new ceasefire deal proposed by US President Joe Biden, while far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does.
Gallant, part of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet who recently urged the government to have a detailed post-war plan for Gaza, said in a briefing that “we seek a governing alternative to Hamas. The framework for this includes isolating areas, removing Hamas operatives in these areas and bringing in other forces that will enable the formation of a governing alternative”.
That will achieve Israel’s goals of removing Hamas’ military and governing authority in Gaza and returning home the remaining hostages taken in the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war, Gallant said. He stressed that “we will not accept the rule of Hamas at any stage in any process aimed at ending the war”.
In response to questions, an Israeli defence official told Associated Press that Gallant hopes to enable isolated, Hamas-free areas in Gaza to become “hubs of local government” and identify forces that can enable a longer-term formation of a government.
