The question of who will control post-peace Gaza is being answered, for now, by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He declared on Sunday that Israel will decide which international forces are allowed in, while simultaneously ruling out any role for Hamas or Turkey.
“Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us,” Netanyahu said, asserting a veto power just days after a Trump-brokered truce. He has already signaled this veto would apply to Turkey, following President Erdogan’s wartime criticism.
The US is backing Israel’s position. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the force must be “comfortable” for Israel and reiterated that Gaza’s future governance must “exclud[e] Hamas.”
The US, which will not send its own troops, is exploring a UN resolution to authorize the force, which could include Egypt, Indonesia, or Gulf Arab states.
This diplomatic maneuvering is happening as the truce itself is shaky. An Israeli strike on the Nuseirat camp was called a “clear violation” by Hamas, and a slow exchange of remains has drawn a warning from Donald Trump.
Who Will Control Gaza? Israel’s Netanyahu Demands Final Say, Rules Out Hamas and Turkey
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