Israel has told several Arab countries that it wants to create a buffer zone inside Gaza to prevent future attacks by Hamas, according to regional sources.
Israel has informed several Arab states that it wants to carve out a buffer zone on the Palestinian side of Gaza‘s border to prevent future attacks as part of proposals for the enclave after war ends, according to Egyptian and regional sources. The sources, who asked not to be identified by nationality, said Israel conveyed its plan to Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which have been involved in mediation efforts to end the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, the fifth and deadliest in the Gaza-Israel conflict.
The sources said Israel wants the buffer zone to run along the entire length of the fence separating Gaza from Israel, from the north to the south, and to extend several kilometers into the Palestinian territory. The sources said Israel wants the buffer zone to be demilitarized and monitored by international forces, and to prevent any access to the tunnels that Hamas uses to move, store and launch rockets, as well as to hide its leaders and hostages.
A Cautious Prevention
The sources said Israel‘s plan is motivated by its desire to prevent a repeat of the massive bombardment of Gaza that it carried out in response to Hamas’s rocket fire, which killed more than 15,000 Palestinians and 1500 Israelis, and destroyed entire neighborhoods and infrastructure in the enclave. The sources said Israel also wants to avoid a long-term occupation of Gaza, which it unilaterally withdrew from in 2005, and to leave the administration of the territory to the Palestinian Authority, which is backed by the US and Israel.
The sources said Israel’s plan has met with resistance from Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, which considers the buffer zone as a violation of its sovereignty and a reward for Israel’s aggression. The sources said Hamas has rejected the idea of a buffer zone, and has demanded the lifting of the blockade on Gaza that has devastated its economy and infrastructure, as well as the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining Israeli hostages.
The sources said the buffer zone is one of the main sticking points in the negotiations to extend the fragile ceasefire that was brokered by Qatar last week, and that is due to expire on Wednesday. The sources said the ceasefire stipulated the exchange of hostages and prisoners, as well as the easing of the siege on Gaza, but the implementation of the deal has been slow and fraught with difficulties, as both sides have accused each other of bad faith and non-compliance.
The sources said the situation remains tense and volatile, and that the risk of a renewed escalation of violence is high. The sources said the US and the UN are trying to persuade both sides to show restraint and responsibility, and to agree on a lasting and comprehensive solution that would address the root causes of the conflict, based on a two-state solution that would ensure the security of Israel and the dignity of the Palestinians.
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