Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu says he wants to take control of Gaza

The announcement appeared stark but not overwhelmingly surprising, considering Netanyahu has long appeared to want to take control of Gaza regardless of whatever deal he might or might not strike with Hamas.

By Charlotte Hazard

Published: August 7, 2025 1:31pm

Updated: August 7, 2025 3:15pm

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he plans to take control Gaza.

The statement in a Fox News Channel interview, though stark, does not make clear whether he has any intention of negotiating with Palestinian-backed Hamas, which controls the region and with whom Israel has been at war since October 2023. However, he said Gaza being liberated from Hamas control is an imperative.

Netanyahu also said he would meet with his security cabinet Thursday evening to discuss plans for Gaza.

During the pre-taped interview, Netanyahu said Israel doesn't want to "keep or govern" the Gaza Strip, but intends to fully take it over.

"We don't want to be there as a governing body," he said. "We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That's not possible with Hamas."

The war in Gaza follows Hamas's terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 people being killed.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed since the start of the war, according to The Associated Press.