Sa’ar: We haven’t decided yet on military rule in Gaza

Israel hasn’t come to a decision on whether it will impose a military government in Gaza, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says.

“It has not yet been decided by our cabinet,” Sa’ar says in response to a question from The Times of Israel at a Jerusalem press conference.

Standing alongside European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Sa’ar insists that Israel is following international law in Gaza. He points to Article 70 of the Additional Protocol of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which states that humanitarian aid must be allowed if the civilian population “is not adequately provided” with supplies. He indicates that the 25,000 trucks Israel let in during the ceasefire with Hamas are adequate for the needs of Gaza’s population.

Arguing that Hamas uses aid packages to fund its attacks and recruit new terrorists, Sa’ar also brings up Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which says that a party is not required to allow in aid if it is diverted for the enemy’s military efforts or economy.

“No country is obliged to facilitate a war against itself,” he says. “Israel must not be held to a different standard.”

Kallas laments the resumption of fighting in Gaza, arguing that “resuming negotiations is the only feasible way to end the suffering on all sides.”

“Violence feeds more violence,” she says, adding that the renewed fighting is causing “unbearable uncertainty” for the hostages and their families, and “horror and death for the Palestinian people.”

“Israelis must be able to feel safe in their own homes,” she stresses. “Israel has the right to self-defense against terror attacks, whether from Hamas, the Houthis, or Hezbollah. However, military actions must be proportionate.”

Kallas also says that the EU welcomes Egypt’s plan for Gaza reconstruction and that the bloc sees “no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.”

Responding to a question about Israeli strikes in Syria, Kallas says that “these things are unnecessary because Syria is right now not attacking Israel, and that feeds more radicalization that is also against Israel, which we don’t want to see.”