As the war in the Gaza Strip is on the verge of surpassing a three-month threshold, conversations amongst Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and others are increasingly open about the post-war future of the conflict that erupted since October 7.
Reuters reported today that the proposed plans currently under discussion will not satisfy all parties involved, but they serve as a working framework for any potential negotiations, especially given the significant divergence in positions among the conflicting parties in the Strip.
Talks about the future of Gaza come against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli aggression, which has lasted over 90 days, leaving more than 22,000 martyrs and approximately 58,000 injured, in addition to the destruction of the Strip’s essential infrastructure, according to officials from the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas and the United Nations.
Israel
In Tel Aviv, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the latest participant in the conflict, discussed on Thursday his plan for "the day after," which envisions Palestinians ruling Gaza without Hamas, the return of the sector's reconstruction task force, Egypt playing a prominent role, and allowing the occupying army the freedom to carry out operations as needed to ensure Gaza no longer poses a security threat.
Gallant (center) proposes a plan for Gaza’s future post-conflict (AFP)
Non-Hostile Entities
Gallant stated, "Hamas will not rule Gaza, nor will Israel rule over the civilians of Gaza. The people of Gaza are Palestinians, hence Palestinian authorities will take responsibility, provided there are no hostile acts or threats to the State of Israel,” he declared.
Gallant offered few details on what Palestinian rule might look like, adding that "the body ruling the territories will utilize the capabilities of the existing administrative mechanism (civil communities) in Gaza, which are local non-hostile entities."
The Israeli defense minister's statements coincided with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the Palestinian Authority playing a role in the Gaza Strip after the war.
The United States
Regarding the U.S. stance on the post-war situation in Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed Washington's desire to see the West Bank and Gaza unified under Palestinian governance, stating, "That's what we are working toward in the long run."
The American spokesman added that a transitional period is needed but emphasized that "this vision is what you'll see the Secretary of State making progress on during his trip over the coming week," as Secretary of State Antony Blinken conducts further discussions on how Gaza will be managed during a new diplomatic tour of the Middle East, which began yesterday, Friday, with a visit to Turkey and will include five Arab countries and Israel.
Egypt
Regarding Egypt's stance, which has acted as a mediator in Israeli negotiations with Hamas for years, Reuters reported last month from two Egyptian security sources that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad refused Cairo's proposal to relinquish power in order to establish a permanent ceasefire.
The sources – according to Reuters – mentioned that Egypt proposed elections and provided assurances to Hamas that its members would not be pursued or prosecuted, but the movement refused any concessions except for the release of prisoners it holds.
Hamas's Position
Responding to Egypt's proposal, a Hamas official told Reuters that the future of Gaza could only be determined by the Palestinians themselves; thus, any concession of authority under Israeli threat is unacceptable.
Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas’s political bureau, said in a speech last month that "any arrangement in Gaza or regarding the Palestinian issue without Hamas or the resistance factions is an illusion and mirage."
The Palestinian Authority
Its position was articulated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who called for an immediate halt to the war in the Gaza Strip and for an international peace conference to reach a lasting political solution that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
In an interview with Reuters on December 8, Abbas reiterated his steadfast position in favor of negotiation over armed resistance to end the long-standing occupation, indicating that he would – based on an international binding agreement – work to revive the weakened Palestinian Authority, implement long-awaited reforms, and conduct presidential and parliamentary elections that had been suspended after Hamas's victory in 2006.
