Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has publicly stated that any post-war future for Gaza will not include Hamas. In one of his most detailed remarks yet on Israel’s long-term strategy, Katz expressed cautious optimism about a possible ceasefire deal and outlined the contours of what he called a “day after” scenario for the war-torn territory.
Speaking to Israeli media, Katz said there is a broad understanding that a temporary truce—likely lasting around 60 days—is on the horizon. The deal, currently being negotiated, would involve Hamas releasing 10 living hostages as well as the remains of approximately half of the hostages confirmed dead. This would reduce the number of captives still in Hamas custody from around 50 to 25. Originally, roughly 250 people were taken hostage during the October 7 attacks.
While Katz offered a clearer glimpse into Israel’s thinking about Gaza’s future governance, he still left several critical elements unresolved, including who will govern the Strip and how long Israeli security forces might remain involved. Nonetheless, his remarks signal Israel’s intent to eliminate Hamas’s political and military presence in Gaza as a non-negotiable aspect of any post-conflict resolution.
Katz’s comments come as international mediators push to finalize a truce deal amid ongoing humanitarian concerns in Gaza and mounting global pressure to end the fighting.
