‘Our goal is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to Free Gaza,’ Netanyahu said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Aug. 10 defended his nation’s planned military incursion into the Gaza Strip, and said Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”
While speaking with foreign media at a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu explained the goals of his upcoming military offensive in Gaza and said he is pushing back against a “global campaign of lies” as scrutiny mounts over humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to Free Gaza, free it from Hamas terrorists,” Netanyahu said.
“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 for the day after Hamas.”
The prime minister said there is a “fairly short timetable” for what comes next in Gaza, which involves demilitarizing the territory and the Israeli military having “overriding security control” there with a non-Israeli civilian administration taking control instead of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
By Jacob Burg
