Israel says that it plans to stay in Gaza at least through 2025 and has turned the Palestinian territory into a “very active construction site.”
Israeli paper Haaretz reports that Israel’s presence in Gaza is not just a military operation. It is a full-on development project, “whether it is talked about openly or not.”
“This isn’t a new public housing project, it’s a completely different type of project. Scenes similar to this one, near the Netzarim corridor, can be seen in additional places in the Gaza Strip. The development momentum is in full swing, and the goal – whether it is talked about openly or not – is clear: building the infrastructure for the military’s prolonged stay in the field, at least in the first stage.”
The report continues:
“They say that some weeks ago, the IDF began “exposing large areas” in the Strip: in less military jargon, destroying existing buildings and infrastructure in such a way that dangers to the forces cannot hide in them, but no one can live in them either. This is in addition to the construction of roads and preparations for building more permanent military facilities.”
In other words, they are not just rooting out Hamas. They are actively taking over Gaza. Earlier this month, Israeli officials said that Israel had “no intention of allowing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes.”
