The final act in Gaza: Occupation or solution?

Following reports that a Palestinian state would be recognized at the UN General Assembly in September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Gaza Strip would be completely occupied and that no safe areas would be left for Hamas. US President Donald Trump also avoided commenting on the matter, stating that the decision to be made on this issue belongs to Israel. In fact, a similar occupation plan had been brought to the agenda last year but had not materialized.

Immediately after the US and Israel announced that they were working together to end the war in Gaza and would carry out this process with an "all or nothing" logic, Netanyahu's presentation of a plan on August 4th aimed at occupying the entirety of Gaza was met with serious reaction from the international public.

A CATASTROPHE BROUGHT BY HUNGER

As the war nears its end, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has begun to emerge in all its nakedness. The people of Gaza, who have long struggled with hunger, poverty, and the destruction of infrastructure, have been facing deaths caused by malnutrition and starvation in recent weeks.

International observers also confirm this picture. UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Michael Fakhri harshly criticized the situation, stating that Israel is implementing a "starvation policy" against Palestinians. According to Fakhri, governments and companies remain indifferent to this horrifying picture. The UN had warned Gaza last year about the risk of famine and starvation. Similarly, Ross Smith, Emergency Director of the UN World Food Programme, revealed the dimensions of the crisis by stating that such a severe situation had not been encountered before in this century. Despite this, the failure of governments and multinational corporations to react sufficiently to what is happening further increases the scale of the international moral crisis.

Israel's policies, which contradict the principle of "Preserve Life," the first commandment in the Torah, are further deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The inability to deliver aid to a population struggling with hunger, desperation, and famine is a subject of criticism not only politically but also morally.

CAN HAMAS BE ELIMINATED?

One of the fundamental justifications for Israel's plan to occupy Gaza is to completely eliminate Hamas. However, whether this goal can be achieved is seriously open to debate. Indeed, a consensus between Israel and Hamas regarding a ceasefire and the release of hostages has still not been reached. Both sides hold each other responsible for the deadlock in the process. Israel demands that Hamas withdraw from Gaza and recognize Israel, but Hamas rejects these demands and finds them unacceptable.

At this point, Israel's constant increase of military pressure is laying the groundwork for the public to turn more toward Hamas and for the organization to gain new fighters. After all, Hamas emerged as a reaction to Israel's long-term occupation of Gaza and its oppression of the Palestinian people.

Although Israel has occupied a significant portion of Gaza, Hamas still possesses a wide sphere of influence in Palestinian society. For Israel, the real threat is not Hamas, but the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian State with international legitimacy. Indeed, in the past, Israel turned a blind eye to the rise of Hamas as a counterweight to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

OCCUPATION PLAN AND POLITICAL CALCULATIONS

The plan to transfer the administration of Gaza to Arab countries is also brought to the agenda from time to time. However, it appears that Arab states do not look favorably upon this proposal.

Israel's occupation plan has not been limited to Gaza alone; it has also caused serious debates within the country. The occupation plan is currently focused on areas where Israel has not yet established full control. These areas contain tunnels allegedly belonging to Hamas that hold Israeli hostages. Although it has the military capacity to enter these areas, statements by Hamas that captives will be killed limit operations.

Furthermore, the protests that began in Israel following the images of two hostages appearing in distress in videos released by Hamas have increased public pressure and forced the government to take tougher steps. On the other hand, Netanyahu's effort to protect his power due to ongoing corruption cases stands out as another political motivation behind the occupation plan.

The US remains Israel's greatest support as it carries out this process. Netanyahu is once again acting outside the international community and legal norms. This approach destroys not only the future of Gaza but also the possibility of a two-state solution.

CONCLUSION: WHAT WOULD A GAZA OCCUPATION CHANGE?

At this point, it appears that Israel has two options: either it will completely occupy Gaza or it will end the war. However, a possible occupation could overturn the fragile balance in the region and eliminate the possibility of long-term peace. This situation would not only open the door to a new war but would also make the establishment of a Palestinian State and expectations for a two-state solution impossible.

Israel's policies, which even contradict the Torah's commandment to "Preserve Life," have now taken on a dimension that wounds not only a regional conflict but also the universal conscience. As what is happening in Gaza becomes one of the most severe humanitarian tragedies of our age, the silence of the international community further deepens this crisis.

In the coming period, the following fundamental questions await answers: How will the world react to the occupation of Gaza? Will the US-Israel alliance take precedence over law and human rights? The answers to these questions will shape the common future not only of the Palestinian people but of all humanity.