Israeli defense minister outlines proposed plans for Gaza after war

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday said the next phase of the war would include a new combat approach in northern Gaza and targeted attacks on Hamas leaders in the south. Israel on Monday said it would withdraw thousands of troops as part of the shift. On Thursday, Gallant also shared his proposal for how Gaza might be governed after the war. Under his plan, Israel would retain military and security control over the region while the Palestinian people would run the territory. Gallant also proposed a multinational task force to rebuild the region, but his ideas are not official state policy, according to his office.

What else is happening in the region? U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Istanbul on Friday to begin a trip to the Middle East. It is Blinken’s fourth trip to the area since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Blinken is expected to discuss how to increase humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza and how to deter other terrorist organizations from launching attacks in the area.

Dig deeper: Read Jill Nelson’s report in WORLD Magazine on Hamas and its relationship with Arab countries.