From historical experience, the situation in the Gaza Strip often starts relatively calm but eventually escalates again. Frankly, I am not a strong advocate for military administration in the Gaza Strip. However, given the current circumstances, this seems to be the lesser evil. In fact, the number of casualties on both sides during the 25 years of Israeli administration in the disputed territories – both in the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria as well as in the Gaza Strip – until the Oslo Accords in 1992 was lower compared to the years afterward when Israel withdrew from these areas under international pressure.

Israel finds itself in a political quandary. If it were possible, Israel would prefer to avoid military administration in the Gaza Strip and instead take direct control of the area. Palestinian actors like Fatah or the Palestinian Authority (PA) do not present a viable alternative from Israel’s perspective. As long as no suitable entity is found to govern the Gaza Strip, the responsibility falls on Israel—whether it wants it or not. However, if something goes wrong, Israel alone will be blamed.

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