Benjamin Netanyahu says his government and that of the US have differing ideas on what the end of the current war might bring in terms of the governance of Gaza.
Israel enjoys US support on the international stage, but cracks are beginning to appear between the two countries on the so-called “next day”.
US focus since the ceasefire deal collapsed has centred on protecting civilian life and providing a viable “day after” for the region – one that allows an independent Palestinian state alongside that of Israel.
“There is a disagreement [with the US] when it comes to ‘the day after Hamas,’ and I hope we will come to an agreement here too,” Mr Netanyahu was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. “I will not allow Israel to repeat the mistake of Oslo.”
The 1993 Oslo Accords saw Israel agree that Palestinian people had the right of self-determination, although did not create a definitive Palestinian state.
“It can’t be that after the enormous sacrifice of our citizens and fighters, we will let into Gaza those who teach terror, support terror, finance terror,” the prime minister adds, appearing to reference the Palestinian Authority.
Reiterating his past refusal to back the return of the Palestinian Authority, run by the Fatah faction, to rule over Gaza once again, Mr Netanyahu said in a statement that Gaza “will be neither Hamas-stan nor ‘Fatah-stan’”.
IDF ‘doing all it can’ to avoid civilian casualties amid claims of hospital being ‘stormed’
We’ve received some comment from the Israel Defence Forces regarding our 11.47am post – which saw the Hamas-led health ministry claim that Israeli forces had stormed the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza.
Ashraf al Qidra, a spokesman for the ministry, said IDF troops gathered men, including medical staff, in the courtyard of the hospital and feared they would be “arrested or liquidated”.
“The IDF continues to act against Hamas strongholds in the north of Gaza, among them the area of Beit Lahia,” a spokesperson for the IDF said in response.
“The IDF takes all feasible precautions to mitigate harm to non-combatants, and is fighting against the Hamas terrorist organisation, and not the civilians in Gaza or the medical teams operating there.”
The UN humanitarian office said the Kamal Adwan hospital has 65 patients, including 12 children in intensive care and six newborn babies in incubators.
Some 3,000 displaced people are believed to be sheltering there.
Leave a Reply