What does Israel want in Gaza?
Al Jazeera
Israel’s plan to continue fighting in Gaza – at a lower intensity – is becoming clearer. Will it work?
While Israel has given the world some hope by saying on Thursday that it would consider the latest draft of a ceasefire proposal submitted by Hamas, the current situation in Gaza may be far from a solution.
Yet, on the other hand, Israel spoke in the days preceding the Hamas response about its “next phase” a reportedly lower-intensity conflict, but one that would keep Israeli soldiers on the ground and prioritise a continuation of the fighting over the release of the remaining Israeli captives.
The Israeli government has insisted so far that fighting will not end until Hamas is “fully defeated” but with the group’s fighters and other Palestinian factions re-emerging in parts of Gaza where Israel had declared them defeated, it is clear that is not imminent.
This means there seems to be no defined end to Israel’s presence in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has an “incentive to perpetuate this as long as possible”, Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Al Jazeera.
