European Union diplomacy chief Josep Borrell asserted that the Gaza Strip should be governed by the Palestinian Authority once hostilities end between Israel and Hamas. His remarks are cited by Reuters as guiding the diplomatic chorus surrounding the conflict.
The diplomat stressed that Hamas can no longer hold sway over the Palestinian territories.
“So who will control Gaza? I believe the only entity capable of leading this is the Palestinian Authority,” Borrell stated at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.
On November 16, Borrell visited Israel and urged the country to exercise restraint in the confrontations with Hamas in Gaza.
“I hear your anger, but urging calm is essential. Israel’s closest friends can share this message,” he noted at the time.
The Middle East crisis intensified after thousands of Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza on October 7, with Hamas declaring Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war.
Israel’s response to Operation Iron Sword aimed to repel the assault, free more than 200 hostages including foreigners, and dismantle Hamas. To reach this objective, Israel launched widespread rocket attacks on Gaza from the operation’s outset. Concurrently, the Israeli National Security Council decided to suspend the flow of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel into the territory. Humanitarian aid shipments began moving into Gaza via the Rafah crossing only after October 20, though aid capacity was reported as insufficient.
By October 27, Israel announced a widening of the ground operation in Gaza. While the exact start date of the operation remains unclear, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had already fled their homes and sought shelter in the southern regions. By November 5, as IDF forces pressed into the Gaza City area and cut off supplies, fighting persisted in central Gaza.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to destroy Hamas. [Reuters]