Israel to send mission to Gaza ceasefire talks in France

By Nathan Morley

The Israeli Prime Minister has revealed his post-war strategy for Gaza, the first since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October last year.

In short, the plan calls for tightening Israel's security grip on Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu said the strategy involves a continuous military presence in the Palestinian enclave and the replacement of Hamas.

The document, presented to members of his security team, sketches principles regarding the management of the Gaza Strip when this war ends.

As far as possible, the civil administration and public order duties will fall to locals with administrative experience. The reconstruction of the enclave – battered by months of air strikes - would commence only after the demilitarization and deradicalization of Gaza.

Under the suggested plan, Israel would maintain operational freedom of military actions throughout the Gaza Strip, without time constraints, to – as quoted - ‘prevent the resurgence of hostilities from the Palestinian enclave’.

In other developments, Israel's war cabinet has agreed to send a delegation for Gaza ceasefire talks in Paris, as international negotiators restart efforts to secure a deal between Israel and Hamas.

Reports suggest the head of Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, will lead the Israeli delegation. The talks will be attended by Qatari Prime and CIA director of William Burns.

Washington’s Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, has been in Israel for discussions with senior officials to negotiate the release of captives held in Gaza and to secure a break in the ongoing fighting.

As the humanitarian crisis continues, more than 100 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours. 

The overall Palestinian death toll since the start of the war rose to more than 29,500, with close to 70,000 people wounded, according to Gaza health officials, with the death toll amounting to close to 1.3% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million.