Israel will retain military control of the Gaza Strip after the end of the war, providing freedom of administration, applying a similar regime to that of the West Bank, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galand told members of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

“After the war, when it’s over, I think it’s absolutely clear thatHamas will not control Gaza. Israel will control it militarily, but not politically,” Gallad said at a briefing in his office in Tel Aviv.

“When we talk about military control, look at what happened tonight in Jenin,” Galland added, referring to the counter-terrorist operation inside a hospital in the West Bank city, where forces killed three operatives who were allegedly planning a major attack like the one by Hamas in October 7.

“This is military control at the highest level, and yet we do not control the area in the political sense,” Gallant said. “This is also possible in Gaza and it will take time.”

Galland argues that a prerequisite for achieving Israel’s war goals, eliminating Hamas’ military and leadership capabilities and returning all hostages, is “unity at the national level.”