Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that Israel will completely reoccupy the Gaza Strip.
When asked by Fox News host Bill Hemmer if Israel plans to take control of all of Gaza, the prime minister responded, “We intend to.”
Netanyahu explained the purpose will be to ensure Israel’s security by removing the terrorist group Hamas then pass it to civilian governance “that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel.”
‘WE INTEND TO’: Israeli prime minister @netanyahu tells FOX News’ @BillHemmer that Israel is aiming to take control of Gaza in order to liberate its people from the grips of Hamas and end the threat of the terror regime against his country. pic.twitter.com/lxQkYKHEB8
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 7, 2025
Hemmer followed up, questioning if Israel’s plan is to control the Gaza Strip as it did 20 years ago, before pulling out in 2005 in a peace deal that only resulted in the territory becoming a base of operations for Hamas.
“Well, we don’t want to keep it,” Netanyahu answered.
“We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life,” he continued. “That’s not possible with Hamas.”
Netanyahu went on to argue that Hamas wants civilian deaths and a “starvation policy” that prevents aid from getting to the people.
Do you support Israel’s decision to take over Gaza?
Excellent interview @BillHemmer w/ @IsraeliPM on @FoxNews https://t.co/RKahdV7HEr
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) August 7, 2025
In February, President Donald Trump proposed a U.S. takeover of the Gaza Strip in order to remove Hamas and redevelop the land for peaceful purposes.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too.” –President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/aCqLl9Gwwn
— President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) February 5, 2025
He called for Gaza’s residents to be resettled in surrounding countries like Egypt and Jordan, so the unexploded munitions can be removed, and the site leveled and rebuilt from the ground up. The residents could then return and be among those who repopulate Gaza.
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