Video Netanyahu confirms that Israel wants to take control of the Gaza strip, but “not govern”
Benjamin Netanyahu, Photo: Jini / Xinhua News / Profimedia
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave assurances, in an interview broadcast on the American Fox News on Thursday, that Israel “intends” to take control of the Gaza strip, but “not govern” it, given that the Israeli media evokes a possible conquest of the Palestinian territory Reuters and Agerpres.
“We have this intention,” the Israeli prime minister replied, asked if his country intends to take control over the entire territory.
“We do not want to keep (Gaza). We want to establish a security perimeter, but we do not want to govern it,” added Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We want to teach the state of Arab forces that will rule properly without threatening and giving them a good life to the inhabitants of Gaza. This is not possible with Hamas,” he continued.
'We intend to': Israeli prime ministry @netanyahu TELLS FOX NEWS ' @Billhemmer THAT ISRAEL IS AIMING TO TAKE CONTROL OF GAZA IN ORDER TODER ISS PEOPLE FROM THE GRIPS OF HAMAS AND END THE THREAT OF THE TERROR REGIME HIS COUNTRY. pic.twitter.com/lxqkykheb8
– Fox News (@foxnews) August 7, 2025
Who opposes Netanyahu
The interview was broadcast on Fox News before the Israeli Prime Minister convened on Thursday, the security office to decide on the following steps in the war in the Palestinian territory, where the expected extension of the military operations generated alarm among the families of the hostages and reserves from the head of the army.
Opinion polls show that most of the Israelis would like the war to end with an agreement to issue the hostages held by the militants of the Palestinian Islamist Movement Hamas.
The mother of a hostage urged people to go out on Thursday to express their opposition to the campaign expand. The Forum of the Families of the hostages at the urges of the Military General Staff, Eyal Zamir, to oppose the extension of the war and the Government to accept an agreement that will end the war and lead to the release of the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu plans to occupy the Gaza strip. “If the head of the army does not agree, you should resign”
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the army will execute the Government decisions until all the objectives of the war are achieved.
The Israeli army occupies or currently operates on the ground in almost 75% of the Gaza strip, mainly from its permanent positions in the territory, along the border, bombarding wherever it considers it necessary.
What the head of the Israeli army says
The head of the Israeli army, Eyal Zamir, said on Thursday that he would continue to speak “without fear” and in a “professional” manner, according to an army statement published a few hours before the Israeli Cabinet's meeting on the continuation of the war in Gaza.
“We are not dealing with theory-we are dealing with issues of life and death, the defense of the state, and we do this regarding the soldiers and citizens of the country in the eyes,” the army chief.
“We will continue to act responsibly, with integrity and determination, with the sole objective of the state and its security,” added Eyal Zamir, according to News.ro.
It is for the first time that the head of the Israeli General Staff, named in March last year by Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and having the prestige of Victoria in the last war against Iran, speaks publicly about the next stage of the operations in Gaza, who is currently in question with the Executive.
According to the Israeli press, Eyal Zamir warned the executive regarding the “trap” of a total occupation in the gas and the danger that this approach would represent for the life of the hostages.
Sign of these tensions, the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, insisted that, in any situation, the chief of the General Staff will have to “execute” the political decisions of the Government.
On Thursday morning, the families of the Israeli hostages kept captive in Gaza made the Eyal Zamir not to “sacrifice” their loved ones.
