Report: Israeli proposal sees Gazans without Hamas ties distributing aid, then transitioning into governing body

Israel is working on a plan that would see Palestinian leaders and businessmen with no ties to Hamas take a key role in distributing aid in Gaza, which would eventually develop into a Palestinian-led governing authority, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The report says an unnamed top Israeli defense official has held talks with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan on the matter with the aim of building regional support for the proposal.

However the plan reportedly does not have the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Officials tell the outlet that aid would be inspected by Israel before it enters Gaza by land and sea and is transported to large warehouses in the center of the Strip.

Those who are in charge of the distribution of the aid from the warehouses will “assume authority to govern, backed up by security forces funded by wealthy Arab governments,” officials tell the newspaper.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have repeatedly made clear that they will not play any role in the rehabilitation of Gaza unless it is part of a framework aimed at an eventual two-state solution.

A senior unnamed official from the Prime Minister’s Office tells the Journal: “Gaza will be run by those who do not seek to kill Israelis.”

However, another official says the plan could be thwarted by strong opposition from Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apparently held off holding substantive security cabinet discussions regarding the so-called “day after” the war, fearing this could lead to fractures in his mainly right-wing coalition.

The US has been pushing for a reformed PA to take over the governance of Gaza the day after the war, which Israel under the leadership of Netanyahu has rejected outright.

The war was sparked on October 7, when Hamas carried out a massive cross-border attack from the Gaza Strip in which terrorists killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Terrorists also abducted 253 people of all ages including the elderly and children, who were taken as hostages to Gaza.

In response to the massacre, Israel launched an aerial offensive and ground campaign, vowing to eradicate the terror group, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, and release the hostages.

With a spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel has been under increasing pressure from the international community and aid agencies to allow more goods into the territory. It has blamed the UN for not delivering supplies fast enough after they are cleared, and for leading to a general fall-off in deliveries. It also accuses Hamas of stealing aid deliveries for itself, depriving civilians of resources.

Agencies contributed to this report.