Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to disarm, sparking widespread condemnation from the international community.
During a news conference, Smotrich outlined a plan for Israel to annex a section of Gaza each week for four weeks, effectively bringing most of the coastal enclave under Israeli control.
This proposal is part of a broader plan to “win in Gaza by the end of the year,” with Smotrich asserting that the annexation can be achieved within three to four months.
Smotrich’s plan involves a phased approach, starting with instructing Palestinians to move south, followed by Israel imposing a siege on the territory’s north and center regions, and ultimately, annexation.
“This can be achieved in three to four months,” Smotrich said, describing the measures as crucial to Israel’s security.
However, this proposal has been met with fierce resistance from Hamas and concerns from the international community about the potential humanitarian crisis it could unleash.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has warned that expanded military operations in Gaza City would cause “massive death and destruction”.
Guterres emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, stating, “Famine is no longer a looming possibility; it’s a present-day catastrophe. People are dying of hunger.
Families are being torn apart by displacement and despair. Pregnant women are facing unimaginable risks, and the systems that sustain life – food, water, healthcare – have been systematically dismantled.”
Hamas has strongly condemned Smotrich’s remarks, describing them as “an official call to exterminate our people” and “an official admission of the use of starvation and siege against innocent civilians as a weapon”.
The group urged the international community to hold Israeli leaders accountable for their actions, emphasizing that Smotrich’s statement reflects a broader Israeli policy aimed at genocide and mass displacement.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with the territory experiencing severe famine and a humanitarian crisis.
Israel’s blockade of food, water, and other humanitarian aid has exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread suffering among the Palestinian population.
According to reports, over 1.95 million Gazans – 85% of the population – have been displaced, with many expected to remain homeless post-conflict.
The World Bank estimates that rebuilding Gaza’s housing stock alone could take until 2040, requiring a $50 billion Marshall Plan-scale investment.
However, Israel’s blockade on construction materials and its destruction of 80% of commercial facilities render recovery impossible without political transformation.
The UN Environment Programme has identified unprecedented environmental degradation in Gaza, including soil contamination from munitions, groundwater pollution from untreated sewage, and air quality hazards from debris containing asbestos and heavy metals.
The proposed annexation would have far-reaching implications for the region, including:
- Erosion of the Two-State Solution: Annexation would effectively dismantle the territorial continuity necessary for a viable Palestinian state, making a two-state solution impossible.
- Escalation of Armed Resistance: Annexation risks catalyzing a third intifada, with Palestinian factions likely to intensify attacks against Israeli military and civilian targets.
- Strain on U.S.-Israel Relations: Annexation would alienate European and Global South allies, potentially leading to sanctions and undermining Israel’s legitimacy in multilateral forums.
- Humanitarian and Socioeconomic Collapse: Annexation would perpetuate the crisis by entrenching restrictions on aid and reconstruction, exacerbating Gaza’s GDP contraction and unemployment rates.
In conclusion, Smotrich’s annexation plan has sparked intense debate and concern about the future of Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The international community remains divided on how to address the situation, with some calling for a two-state solution and others supporting Israel’s right to self-defense.
As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the fate of Gaza and its people hangs in the balance.