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Monday, July 1, 2024
Report: IDF to try out plan for Gaza pockets run by Palestinians unaffiliated with Hamas
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
An Israeli military proposal to create “humanitarian enclaves” of Gazan civilians unaffiliated with Hamas will soon be implemented in the northern Gaza neighborhoods of Atatra, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia, the Financial Times reports.
The plan, which would carve out Hamas-free “bubbles” where local Palestinians would gain aid distribution responsibilities, has reportedly been met with skepticism by anonymous former officials and others familiar with the plans.
Under the alleged scheme, Israeli forces would retain security duties for the time being, while Palestinians would gradually take over civil governance. If the model is successful in the north, Israel would begin creating more enclaves in the south, laying a foundation for a replacement for Hamas governing the Strip.
But some of those familiar with the plan are downplaying its chances of success, telling the Financial Times that Israel “already tried” a similar method in various parts of central and northern Gaza with local Palestinian clans. The officials say that Israel has been working to identify potential non-Hamas local leadership since November, but has been unsuccessful.
“They were all either beaten up or killed by Hamas,” a former Israeli official familiar with postwar planning says.
The former official also notes that the humanitarian enclaves are only one part of a much larger three-tier postwar plan that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the Israeli security establishment have been pushing. That plan aims to involve a broad international collective, including the Palestinian Authority and moderate Arab states, which would diplomatically and financially take charge of postwar Gaza. Members of that coalition would effectively govern the humanitarian bubbles.
Other individuals familiar with the discussions say that there are plans to train former PA personnel in Jordan and the West Bank under US Lt. Gen. Michael Fenzel to take over security responsibilities in the Hamas-free pockets. PA intelligence chief Mahed Faraj has already identified several thousand potential recruits, says the FT.
Those schemes are opposed by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s circle who are resistant to any postwar plan that involves the PA, officials say.
Last week, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said the plan for the “day after” Hamas would start to be implemented in northern Gaza in the coming days. He said that the IDF plan has “been sharpened” in recent weeks, and that “we will see a practical expression of this plan” shortly.
The Times of Israel Community.