U.S. stands firm against long-term Israeli presence in Gaza

The United States emphasized its opposition to a new long-term occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel on Tuesday, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that his country would assume "overall responsibility for security" in the enclave after the recent conflict with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.

"In our perspective, the decisions regarding Gaza must prioritize the Palestinians; it is Palestinian territory and will remain so," stated Vedad Patel, a U.S. diplomatic spokesperson during a briefing at the State Department for accredited editors.

"In general, we do not support the imposition of a new occupation of the Gaza Strip, and Israel does not seek it," he added.

Israel unilaterally withdrew its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005 after a 38-year occupation. However, Israeli authorities have maintained a strict land, air, and sea blockade since Hamas assumed power in 2007.

Despite this, the U.S. government acknowledges that returning to the status quo before the October 7 attack by Palestinian Islamist militants on Israeli territory, the deadliest since Israel's establishment in 1948, is not feasible.

"Israel and the region must have security, and Gaza should no longer be a base for launching attacks against the citizens of Israel or anyone else," emphasized the U.S. State Department spokesperson.

On Monday, Netanyahu announced that Israel would assume "overall responsibility for security" in the Gaza Strip indefinitely to prevent the return of Hamas. Israeli armed forces have intensively shelled the enclave and escalated ground operations in response to the October 7 attack, which claimed the lives of over 1,400 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed on the same day, according to authorities. Meanwhile, over 10,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians, have been killed, and more than 20,000 others have been wounded in Israeli military retaliatory operations, as reported by the Hamas government's health ministry.

[Information sourced from AMPE]