Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday his country does not seek to conquer, occupy or govern Gaza after its war against Hamas but a "credible force" would be needed to enter the Palestinian enclave if necessary to prevent the emergence of militant threats.

Netanyahu's comments this week suggesting that Israel would be responsible for Gaza security indefinitely drew pushback from the US, Israel's main ally.

Washington has said it would oppose Israeli post-war occupation of Gaza, where Israel has waged a bombing campaign to destroy the enclave's Hamas rulers after militants rampaged through southern Israeli communities on October 7 in an attack that Israel says killed 1,400 people.

Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Netanyahu said: "We don't seek to conquer Gaza, we don't seek to occupy Gaza, and we don't seek to govern Gaza."

Netanyahu said a civilian government would need to take shape in Gaza but that Israel would make sure an attack like October 7 does not happen again.

"So, we have to have a credible force that, if necessary, will enter Gaza and kill the killers. Because that's what will prevent the reemergence of a Hamas-like entity," Netanyahu said.