Israel releases a post-war plan for Gaza

Nearly five months into a war between Israel and Hamas, officials in Israel, Egypt, the U.S., and Qatar are struggling to move towards a solution. 

What happened: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put forward a post-war blueprint for Gaza that calls for an indefinite Israeli security presence in the enclave.

• The plan also includes building a security barrier within Gaza's existing border and taking control of the southern Gaza-Egypt border in order to fully seal off the strip.
   
• Israel would also replace a key UN agency that provides aid to millions of Palestinians amid allegations that at least a dozen of its employees have associations with Hamas.

Why it matters: The proposal is at odds with solutions offered by both the U.S. and Arab governments in the region, mostly because it does not mention a role for the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank-based rival to Hamas, and does not recognize Palestine as a state.   

• The U.S. has suggested that a revitalized Palestinian Authority could take over control and has backed international efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

What’s next: Israeli officials have called for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on March 10, or else Israel will launch an attack in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than a million civilians are sheltering.—SB