Israel: "The ultimate goal is a new security system without Hamas"

Minister of National Defense Specifies '3-Stage Goals' in Parliament Appearance
Destruction of Hamas Bases → Removal of Resistance Forces → New Security Reality

Yoav Galant, Israel's Minister of Defense, has for the first time specifically revealed the objectives of the Gaza Strip war against Hamas.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

On the 20th (local time), Minister Galant appeared before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and stated that the Gaza Strip war will proceed in three stages, with the ultimate goal being the creation of a new security system.

He said, "We are currently in the first stage," adding, "At this stage, military attacks such as airstrikes and subsequent (ground) operations will be carried out to eliminate Hamas operatives and damage their infrastructure in order to defeat and annihilate Hamas (the Palestinian armed faction)."

Minister Galant explained that fighting will continue in the second stage of the war, but its intensity will decrease, and efforts to eliminate hidden resistance forces will continue. He stated, "The third stage is to create a new security system in the Gaza Strip, to remove Israel's responsibility for daily life in the Gaza Strip, and to establish a new security reality for Israelis and residents of the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip."

These remarks came amid pressure on the Israeli government to specify a strategy to prevent prolonged chaos, after it declared the complete dismantling of Hamas as its initial goal.

Galant's comments are interpreted to mean that even if Israel deploys ground forces, it does not intend to occupy or annex the Gaza Strip for an extended period. His statement about creating a new security reality after eliminating Hamas and shedding responsibility for the daily lives of Gaza residents is particularly noteworthy. This is understood to mean that Israel will no longer be responsible for supplying essentials necessary for residents' survival, such as electricity and water. Furthermore, by entrusting everything to a new autonomous body and minimizing interference, it could be seen as moving toward a de facto 'two-state solution.'

Israel withdrew its military from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but the United Nations has considered the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem as occupied territories under Israeli control, holding Israel responsible for meeting the basic needs of the residents in these areas.

Since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, it has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt, with restrictions on residents' movement and the import of goods. This measure was intended to manage variables that negatively impact Israeli security, such as weapons falling into Hamas's hands.

Recently, Israel had adopted conciliatory measures, allowing Gaza residents to obtain jobs and travel to mainland Israel. However, after Hamas's surprise attack on the 7th of this month triggered armed conflict, Israel closed the borders and completely halted the supply of electricity, drinking water, and goods. Following two weeks of Israeli retaliatory bombings, thousands have died in the Gaza Strip, and hundreds of thousands have become refugees. Refugees in safe zones are also suffering from shortages of food, water, and daily necessities.

The United Nations has described the local situation as "beyond a disaster." The United States and Egypt have agreed on a plan to provide some relief supplies to 2.2 million Gaza residents through the Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza and Egypt, but actual delivery has yet to take place.

On the 20th, Ant?nio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, who visited the Rafah border crossing, pointed to the long line of relief trucks and urged that humanitarian aid be urgently initiated. He emphasized, "These trucks are not just trucks; they are lifelines. Many in Gaza will live or die depending on these supplies," and stressed, "There is an absolute necessity for the trucks to move as quickly and as much as needed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.