Once the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas goes into effect, a portion of the attention will turn to the important task of rebuilding and governing the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Israel vowed to crush Hamas in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 attack, which was the deadliest attack in Israeli history.
The militant movement has emerged from the war the worst Gaza has ever seen, largely weakened but not completely defeated.
And fearing a repeat of the October 7 attack, Israel wants security guarantees.
– What are the challenges? ,
The humanitarian situation is dire in Gaza, which was under Israeli blockade even before the war and where poverty and unemployment are widespread.
The United Nations estimates that rebuilding the region, with more than half of its structures destroyed, will take up to 15 years and cost up to $50 billion.
There has been widespread damage to critical infrastructure, including water distribution networks, while there is hunger in the makeshift shelters where most Gazans took refuge during the war.
The United Nations says almost all of the region’s 2.4 million people have been displaced at least once because of bombing and fighting.
Most children have been out of school for more than a year, and only a handful of hospitals are partially operational.
“Given the scale of the humanitarian and physical destruction that has made Gaza uninhabitable, it is unrealistic to ignore the political stakes,” said Xavier Guignard, a researcher on Palestinian issues at France-based Noria Research.
While Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2006, its rival the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is dominated by the Fatah movement, runs the West Bank.
“The Palestinian Authority lacks resources and will remain dependent on external donors,” Guignard said.
“Reconstruction plans often depend on Gulf monarchies, particularly Saudi Arabia, coming forward with financial support,” he said. But these countries are increasingly insisting that the era of unconditional funding is over. Is.”
“No matter what happens, it will be a headache for everyone involved,” said one diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
– What does Hamas want? ,
Hamas, which won the last Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, had indicated at the beginning of the war that it did not want to rule Gaza after the conflict.
“We are not ready to return to ruling the Gaza Strip,” senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said in a media interview last year.
Hamas sources have told AFP they would be ready to hand over Gaza’s civilian affairs to the Palestinian entity.
Palestinian political analyst Yasser Abu Hen said, “In 2014, after the last war, Hamas did not directly involve itself in reconstruction and showed flexibility by accepting an external committee.”
Palestinian leaders from various factions have long said Gaza’s future is theirs to decide, and have rejected any outside interference.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied any role for Hamas in Gaza governance after the war.
During discussions in Cairo, representatives of Hamas and Fatah agreed that Gaza could be governed by a committee of non-partisan figures under the PA.
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the PA should “invite international partners to help establish and run an interim administration” in Gaza.
Quietly supported by parts of the international community, the PA maintains a presence in Gaza, primarily through municipal staff.
Informal negotiations are ongoing regarding the reopening of the Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt.
If the PA secures a role in the management of Rafah, this could allow it to re-establish itself in Gaza.
-What does Israel want? ,
Qatar’s prime minister said ceasefire mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt would monitor the ceasefire starting Sunday, through a Cairo-based body.
Israel occupied Gaza from 1967 to 2005, when it unilaterally withdrew and evacuated residents.
Currently, Israel has no definite stance on post-war governance other than rejecting any role for Hamas.
Former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who resigned in early November, said Israel does not want to run Gaza after the war.
His successor, Israel Katz, has called for “complete freedom of action” for Israeli forces in the area.
Some far-right politicians, including government members, have called for the return of the settlers.
Some Israeli media have also raised the possibility of an international force to help run Gaza.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
