The dust hadn’t yet settled from overnight airstrikes when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his most explicit statement yet about Israel’s intentions in Gaza. Speaking to military commanders this week, Netanyahu declared Israel would assume “overall security responsibility” in the Palestinian territory for an “indefinite period” following the current conflict with Hamas.
“We’ve seen what happens when we don’t have that security responsibility,” Netanyahu told troops positioned near the Gaza border. His comments mark a significant shift in Israel’s publicly stated war aims, moving beyond the initial goal of dismantling Hamas toward something resembling long-term occupation.
This declaration comes as Israeli forces continue their ground operations in northern Gaza while simultaneously discussing plans to expand military action to the southern regions where over 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. The humanitarian consequences of such an expansion could be catastrophic, according to United Nations officials.
“What we’re witnessing is not just a military campaign but potentially a fundamental redrawing of Gaza’s political future,” says Yossi Mekelberg, senior consulting research fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program. “Netanyahu’s statements suggest planning for post-conflict governance that would maintain Israeli control.”
The fighting has already taken a devastating toll. Palestinian health authorities report over 11,000 deaths in Gaza since October 7, while the initial Hamas attack on Israeli communities killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in about 240 hostages being taken to Gaza.
The scale of destruction in Gaza has been immense. Satellite imagery analyzed by the UN shows nearly half of all structures in northern Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Essential infrastructure—hospitals, water systems, and electrical grids—lies in ruins across much of the territory.
“I’ve reported from conflict zones for two decades, but the speed and totality of Gaza’s devastation is unprecedented,” remarked a colleague who recently returned from the Egypt-Gaza border. “Entire neighborhoods have simply ceased to exist.”
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue on multiple fronts. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his fourth visit to the region since the conflict began, has pressed for temporary pauses in fighting to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery and potentially advance hostage negotiations. These efforts have yielded limited results so far.
Regional tensions continue to escalate. In the north, exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in Lebanon threaten to open a second front in the conflict. Iran, which backs both Hamas and Hezbollah, has issued increasingly bellicose statements, while maintaining some ambiguity about its red lines for direct involvement.
The international community remains deeply divided. While the United States continues providing military support to Israel, many countries have called for an immediate ceasefire. Public protests against Israel’s military campaign have grown in major cities worldwide, with demonstrators criticizing what they see as disproportionate force and collective punishment.
The prospect of Israeli governance in Gaza raises complex questions about international law. “Extended military occupation creates obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention,” explains Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch. “These include ensuring adequate food, medical care, and maintaining civic institutions for the protected population.”
Netanyahu’s statement also contradicts Israel’s long-standing position since its 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. For years, Israeli officials insisted they had no territorial ambitions in the coastal enclave. This potential policy reversal would have profound implications for any future Palestinian state.
Economic realities complicate the picture further. Gaza’s economy lies in ruins, with unemployment above 70% even before the current conflict. “Someone will need to fund massive reconstruction,” notes Palestinian economist Omar Shaban. “Without a political horizon, donors will be reluctant to invest billions only to see infrastructure destroyed in the next round of fighting.”
For Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, the immediate concerns remain survival and basic necessities. Aid organizations report critical shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. Clean water has become scarce, raising fears of disease outbreaks in crowded shelter areas.
The coming weeks may prove decisive. Military analysts suggest Israel faces difficult urban warfare if Hamas fighters retreat to southern Gaza. Meanwhile, international pressure for a resolution grows amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
As winter approaches, those displaced face additional hardships. Many fled their homes with only what they could carry and now shelter in overcrowded UN facilities or makeshift camps without adequate protection from the elements.
What seems increasingly clear is that Gaza’s future has reached a critical inflection point. Netanyahu’s statements suggest Israel envisions a dramatically different security and governance arrangement than what existed before October 7. Whether such plans can be implemented in the face of international opposition and Palestinian resistance remains one of the conflict’s central questions.
