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By Jesus Mesa and Gabe Whisnant
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel plans to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip, though it does not intend to govern the territory in the long term.
In an interview with Fox News' Bill Hemmer, Netanyahu responded "We intend to," when asked whether Israel would take control of the full 26-mile coastal enclave.
He emphasized that the goal is not to occupy Gaza permanently, but to remove Hamas and allow for new leadership—one "that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel."
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"We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly," he said according to clips from the interview aired during America's Newsroom.
Why It Matters
The clips of the interview aired just hours before Netanyahu convened a high-level security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem to discuss the military's next phase in Gaza.
Despite the prime minister's statements, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) leadership has expressed strong resistance to a full-scale ground reoccupation of Gaza, according to multiple Israeli officials. Expanding military operations would also further isolate Israel internationally, after several of its closest Western allies have called on it to end the war and facilitate more humanitarian aid.
What To Know
Netanyahu's remarks mark one of the clearest public signals yet of Israel's near-term strategy. Hemmer followed up by asking if that meant reoccupying the full 26-mile strip, as Israel did before its 2005 withdrawal.
"We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving the Gazans a good life," Netanyahu said, adding, "That's not possible with Hamas."
Netanyahu also used the interview to make graphic claims against Hamas, accusing the group of massacres, sexual violence, and deliberately engineering civilian casualties.
"Hamas are monsters. Look at what they're doing to our people. Look at what they're doing to the way they massacred, raped, beheaded our people, our men and women, burned our babies, and they are really cruel to their own people".
He then accused them of weaponizing famine as a tactic of war. "They want a starvation policy that they themselves are trying to put into being," Netanyahu said, claiming Hamas was obstructing aid and creating conditions of hunger to generate international outrage against Israel.
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"They want a starvation policy that they themselves are trying to put into being. And we're doing everything to reverse that," he said.
Hemmer, recapping his Fox News interview, suggested that Netanyahu's statements left little doubt.
"In summary, he did not deny it. In fact, I got the strong inclination that that's what he would like to do," Hemmer said on America's Newsroom.
Behind the scenes, however, Israeli military leadership is pushing back. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is resisting a full ground takeover, advocating instead for a strategy that would encircle remaining Hamas-held areas while conducting airstrikes and raids.
The army, which now controls about 75 percent of Gaza, has warned that deeper incursions could further endanger hostages and exhaust already stretched forces.
What is Happening in Gaza?
At least 29 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes and shootings across southern Gaza on Thursday, according to local hospitals.
Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis said 12 of the fatalities were from people attempting to access aid near a distribution site run by a U.S. and Israeli-backed private contractor. At least 50 people were wounded, many from gunshots, the hospital said.
Neither the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation nor the Israeli military, which helps secure the group's sites, immediately commented on the strikes or shootings. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of operating in densely populated civilian areas.
How Many Hostages Are Still in Gaza?
In March of this year, the Associated Press reported that 59 hostages remain in captivity, with Israel believing that 35 of them are dead.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to figures from Gaza's Health Ministry cited by the AP.
How Much of Gaza Has Been Destroyed?
As much as 60 percent of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been likely damaged or destroyed, Reuters reported.
What People Are Saying
Netanyahu speaking about Hamas with Fox News's Bill Hemmer: "Because when we try to take them away from the combat zones, they shoot them. They want people to be civilian casualties. They want a starvation policy that they themselves are trying to put into being. And we're doing everything to reverse that".
Hemmer, recapping his interview, said: "Two things he said: 'We intend to,' and 'We don't want to keep it.' They've been there before."
President Donald Trump, responding to reports on Netanyahu's alleged plan on Tuesday, said: "Well, I don't know what the suggestion is. I know we're there now, trying to get people fed. As you know, $60 million was provided by the U.S. to supply food for the people of Gaza, who are obviously not doing too well when it comes to food."
What Happens Next
With ceasefire talks frozen since July and political pressure mounting both at home and abroad, Netanyahu's Fox News remarks appeared intended to reassure hard-liners. But critics warn the country is drifting toward a deeper entanglement.
Update: 8/7/25, 12:23 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
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