Netanyahu Envisions ‘Indefinite’ Israeli Occupation of Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu envisions Israel taking “overall security responsibility” for the Gaza Strip indefinitely if the Israeli war to destroy Hamas is successful, the Israeli leader said in an interview with ABC News that aired late Monday.

“I think Israel will, for an indefinite period will have the overall security responsibility because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t have it. When we don’t have that security responsibility, what we have is the eruption of Hamas terror on a scale that we couldn’t imagine,” Netanyahu said.

When asked if the US would support Netanyahu’s vision, which would have to be achieved by an Israeli occupation, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the issue of the enclave’s future was being discussed. “What we support is that Hamas can’t be in control of Gaza anymore. We can’t go back to October 6,” he said.