Israel’s Plan for Post-Hamas Gaza Revealed by Former Diplomat

Israeli forces preparing to invade the Palestinian Gaza Strip have no intention of re-establishing a permanent presence in the Hamas stronghold, Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations has told Newsweek, as the under-siege coastal enclave withers under a pre-incursion air, land and sea bombardment.

Danny Danon told Newsweek Israel is preparing to “use a lot of force in order to restore deterrence and in order to ensure that Hamas is not capable of doing it again,” in reference to the group’s weekend infiltration and rocket attacks.

Israeli ground forces are soon expected to cross into Gaza “to destroy Hamas’ capabilities,” as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to do.

Danon—now a member of Israel’s Knesset parliament representing Netanyahu’s Likud party—said Israel does not intend to re-establish a permanent presence in the impoverished enclave, its forces having left the area in 2005.

Israeli army Merkava tanks are positioned near the border with Gaza in southern Israel on October 10, 2023. Israeli forces appear to be preparing for an incursion into the Gaza Strip. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

“In the long-term we have no intention to hold Gaza,” Danon said. “Our goal is not to govern Gaza. Our goal is to fight Hamas, and then hopefully a new regime will emerge to run the daily lives of the Palestinians in Gaza.” He added: “I don’t think there will be any alternative but to chase Hamas, to destroy their infrastructure.”

Hamas has ruled Gaza since seizing control in a violent coup in 2007, shortly after winning legislative elections in 2006 and defeating the Fatah party, which has traditionally dominated the Palestinian Authority and remains in nominal control of the West Bank.

Despite years of hardship and repeated costly wars with Israel, support for Hamas among Gazans remains high. A Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research poll published in March found that 45 percent of Gazans surveyed would vote for Hamas in new elections. However, 44 percent said they believed neither Hamas nor Fatah deserved to lead the Palestinian people.

Asked if Israel sees a realistic and less combative alternative to Hamas in the Strip, Danon replied: “Today under Hamas, no one is allowed to speak up. But I’m sure in a population of 2 million people you’d be able to find people who want to deal with the well-being of the Palestinians in Gaza and with digging tunnels and promoting terror against Israel.”

Gaza In Flames

Israeli forces are already attacking the Gaza Strip. One Palestinian humanitarian worker told Newsweek that the nascent Israeli offensive is already among the “worst” Gazans have ever experienced.

Netanyahu has braced Israelis for a “long and difficult” conflict. Past Israeli incursions into Gaza have proven costly for both sides, though primarily for the civilians caught in the crossfire in the densely populated “open air prison,” as human rights groups have often described the besieged 140 square mile strip of land along the Mediterranean.

“It’s a new era, a new reality,” Danon said. “I think we will have to build a new approach to the way we will protect ourselves and deal with our enemies.”

Israelis, Danon said, are “absolutely” ready to support a punishing incursion into Gaza. “I have been calling for this support for many years,” he said.

“I think we delayed this decision many times. I think now we are not in a position to have another few airstrikes and have another cycle with Hamas. We have to change the paradigm, to change the reality, to use our force and might to restore peace in the region.”

“I cannot give you an exact schedule,” Danon said when pushed on the timescale for a ground operation. “We know it’s challenging; we know it’s not easy.”

“One thing I can say is that the international community that is supporting us today should give us credit to move ahead and to be effective. Because we cannot sit idly by and wait for the next attack.”

Newsweek has reached out to Hamas via email to request comment.

Palestinians walk through a street ravaged by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 10, 2023. The Palestinian enclave has been under intense bombardment for several days. MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images Civilian Crossfire

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have urged Gazans to move away from Hamas buildings and positions to avoid being caught in the ongoing strikes.

Danon echoed the warning: “We want to minimize the number of casualties, of civilian casualties, on the other side,” he said. “I would advise the people of Gaza to move away from Hamas headquarters and militants, not to stay in the area, and allow us to fight Hamas and bring tranquility to the region.”

“I can imagine that Hamas will try to use civilians as human shields like they did in the past. That’s why we would advise the civilian population to move away… We will do everything we can to minimize the number of civilian casualties, not like Hamas did.”

But Gaza’s 2 million people have few options. Border posts with Israel and Egypt are closed, with reports emerging on Tuesday that Israeli aircraft had bombed the Rafah crossing point on the Egyptian frontier. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday ordered a “total siege” of Gaza, decrying those inside as “human animals.”

Confused messaging from the IDF has complicated the matter. IDF international media spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said on Tuesday that Gazans should leave for Egypt, suggesting that the “Rafah crossing is still open. Anyone who can get out, I would advise them to get out.”

But a military statement later clarified: “In recent days, the IDF has been instructing the population inside of the Gaza Strip to distance themselves from designated areas. We emphasize that there is no official call by Israel for residents of the Gaza Strip to exit into Egypt.”

Danon framed the impending offensive as necessary for the whole region. “I think the idea of eradicating Hamas is also building a future for the Palestinians in Gaza,” he said. “They live under the occupation of Hamas, the suffer from that regime. A new reality can bring tranquility to the region and every Palestinian themselves.”

A fireball erupts from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on October 9, 2023. Israel has embarked on a land, air and sea bombardment of the Palestinian enclave ahead of an expected ground assault. MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images The Home Front

In Israel, meanwhile, an inquest is ramping up into how Hamas was able to succeed in its devastating surprise attack. Netanyahu has come under pressure after Egyptian media reported that Cairo spy chief Abbas Kamel warned the prime minister of “something unusual, a terrible operation” to soon take place around Gaza.

Netanyahu had already divided Israeli society with controversial judicial reforms and a far-right coalition government. The left-leaning Haaretz newspaper this week published an op-ed declaring the resurgence in violence to be “the clear responsibility of one person: Benjamin Netanyahu.”

Danon said the security lapses that facilitated the Hamas raid were “unacceptable.”

“We cannot deny that we were caught by surprise on our holiday,” he said. “It happened to us 50 years ago, and it happened to us again now. I think we will have to enquire and see what went wrong.”

“One thing I can tell you for sure is the fact that we allowed us to get close to our fence, that’s unacceptable. That we have to change. I would advise the government that at least a five-kilometer perimeter from the fence should be a zone of no entrance for anyone.”

“Once they got to the fence, they were able to detect our movements, install explosives, and dig tunnels,” Danon said of attacking Hamas units.

Israeli political leaders are now pushing for a new wartime coalition government. Danon said it is time “to put politics aside, we have to bring unity. And the people of Israel expect us to be united. And that’s why I think we should put all the political differences aside while we’re fighting.”

As to whether Netanyahu’s divisive reforms—which precipitated public showdowns with the IDF—had weakened Israel and handed Hamas a window of opportunity, Danon said: “No, I don’t think you can look for reasoning when you deal with such a brutal enemy.”

“You don’t look for reason when you analyze Al-Qaeda or ISIS. They are barbaric radicals that will always be against us, no matter if we have demonstrations or not. I think they were planning this attack even before we had a discussion about reform.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem on September 27, 2023. The prime minister is under pressure to explain the security lapses that facilitated the surprise Hamas attack. ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images