Israel Announces Complete Gaza Disengagement

The country’s defense chief has announced a complete disengagement from the Palestinian territory following a land-based military campaign.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared that Israel will sever all ties with the Gaza Strip after concluding its ongoing ground assault aimed at neutralizing Hamas. An unnamed Israeli authority confirmed to The Financial Times that this new policy will prevent Gaza residents from entering or seeking employment in Israel.

Speaking to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Israeli Parliament last Friday, Gallant conveyed that Israel will relinquish its “accountability for the routine affairs in the Gaza Strip” upon the cessation of military activities.

Israel’s Strategy and Humanitarian Concerns in Gaza

Gallant outlined that the Israeli armed forces would execute the operation in three distinct phases. The operation has already commenced with intensive aerial strikes. This will be followed by terrestrial activities “to incapacitate combatants and cripple infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of dismantling and eradicating Hamas.” A subsequent phase will involve scaled-down combat in the territory aimed at wiping out “residual militant strongholds,” Gallant elaborated. The mission will conclude with the establishment of a “revised security framework” within Gaza.

An anonymous Israeli official cited by The Financial Times stated that “Israel will not play a role in providing employment opportunities to Gazans.” The source also added, “We have cut the lifeline.”

This source also informed that all current points of entry between the Gaza Strip and Israel would be sealed off.

Israel had a military presence and settlements in Gaza from 1967 until 2005. Despite the escalating tensions, the country had continued to provide essential services like water and electricity to the densely populated region. However, there have been longstanding restrictions on the transit of people and goods, imposed by Israel.

A report by Bloomberg last Saturday suggested that covert negotiations are taking place between U.S. and Israeli authorities regarding the governance of Gaza after the dismantling of Hamas. The report hinted at a possible provisional governance structure endorsed by the United Nations and Arabic states, although the talks are in a preliminary stage and there is no certainty that adjacent nations will endorse these tentative plans.

The ongoing strife between Hamas and Israel was triggered on October 7 when Palestinian militants initiated an extensive missile assault and an unexpected intrusion into Israeli territory. In response, Israel launched air raids on Gaza.

Local governmental sources report that the renewed aggression has resulted in at least 4,100 Palestinian and 1,400 Israeli casualties, along with many more injured. United Nations agencies and human rights organizations have signaled an impending humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.