Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that intelligence indicates that at least half of the 101 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were still alive. The prime minister spoke to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee where he also briefed lawmakers on the situation in the north.
The prime minister was presented with a report prepared by retired generals in the IDF early in September, warning that as long as Hamas was in charge of the aid distribution, it would not be defeated. The plan that was originally devised by Giora Eiland who also served as head of Israel's National Security Council called for the the area in the Strip north of the Netzarim corridor and including Gaza city, to be declared a closed military zone and its estimated 300,000 residents removed to safe zones through IDF humanitarian routes within a set time of approximately one week.
The IDF will then impose a siege on the military zone where only Hamas terrorists will remain, forcing them to surrender or die fighting. Eiland who had suggested the plan in television interviews said this would be in accordance to international laws of war.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office said the IDF was instructed to present to the government plans to take control of the distribution of humanitarian aid. Eiland claimed that as long as Hamas has control of the aid, it provides for its forces and markets the remaining supplies, ensuring a steady flow of cash and its continued civilian rule.
The United States has not given its backing to the plan.
Netanyahu told the Knesset committee that efforts to return the hostages were ongoing. "Hamas' willingness to release the hostages is influenced by two opposing forces: the military and diplomatic pressure we’re applying on it and the pressure being applied on us."
He didn’t rule out the proposal presented by Israel's envoy for hostages and missing citizens Gal Hirsch who said Sinwar should be guaranteed safe passage out of Gaza along with other leaders of the terror group in exchange for ending the war, surrender of Hamas terrorists and returning the hostages.
Netanyahu said he preferred another solution over the IDF's military rule in Gaza but didn’t dismiss the idea, saying that previous attempts to enlist Gazan clans to take over civilian rule, had failed and there were currently no other proposals to address this issue.
In his view, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) isn’t any better than Hamas in its position on Israel. Although he said he opposed annexation of civilian areas he insisted that military control must be maintained over a perimeter close to the border
Netanyahu said he believes the International Criminal Court will soon issue arrest warrants against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Chief prosecutor Karim Khan had requested warrants for the arrest of the Israeli leaders and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.