Katz says Israeli security control of Gaza after war will resemble West Bank

Defense Minister Israel Katz says that Israel must maintain full security control in the Gaza Strip even after the war, insisting that the Hamas terror group will not dictate the future of the territory.

“The goal is to defeat Hamas, whose military and civilian wings will not be the ones determining what happens in Gaza,” Katz says during a visit to the Tel Hashomer recruitment center, where he met with new recruits to the IDF’s Artillery Corps and air defense array.

“We need the IDF to be in and around Gaza to protect the communities that could come under attack again, to protect our soldiers, and to prevent the smuggling of weapons and rearmament,” he adds.

Referring to postwar plans, Katz emphasizes: “In order for Hamas to no longer be effective, the IDF must have the ability — like in the West Bank — to operate securely in every location there. We ourselves must be responsible for security in Gaza.”

Katz also says the IDF’s ongoing operations remain tied to efforts to rescue the remaining hostages: “Any maneuver we need — even a deal with such enemies — to rescue 10 more, even those no longer alive, we will do, while maintaining security.”