Israeli energy minister says Gaza should remain in ruins for decades

JERUSALEM/ANKARA

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said the Gaza Strip should remain in a state of devastation without reconstruction for decades, media reports said Saturday.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 14 television, Cohen said Israel has no intention of assisting in rebuilding Gaza’s destroyed infrastructure.

“Gaza should remain in ruins for decades without reconstruction,” he was quoted.

Referring to the army’s two main goals in Gaza, Cohen said the first is to secure the return of hostages and the second is to force Hamas into submission.

Gaza ceasefire talks

US President Donald Trump previously announced that Israel had accepted the necessary conditions for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, with the proposal presented to Hamas by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

Hamas responded positively and stated its readiness to proceed with negotiations to implement the ceasefire and exchange hostages.

Although Israel claimed Hamas’ amendments to the Qatari proposal were unacceptable, its delegation still traveled to Doha for talks.

Negotiations in Doha have focused on a temporary 60-day ceasefire, the release of 10 living and 18 deceased Israeli hostages, and discussions on a permanent truce.

While many issues were reportedly resolved, the main sticking point remained Israel’s insistence on maintaining occupation around Gaza’s perimeter.

Even if a ceasefire is reached, Israel has announced plans to continue its presence in Rafah and set up a “collection camp” as part of its aim to deport Palestinians to other countries.

Israelis, who had seized Palestinian lands, beat a Palestinian and fatally shot another on July 11 in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah.

At least 998 Palestinians have been killed and more than 7,000 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel has since killed nearly 58,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children.

The International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian lands illegal last July and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.