Defence minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday outlined his plans for the next stage of Israel’s war in Gaza and his vision of a future arrangement which would see the enclave run by a Palestinian body under overall Israeli security control.

He said the military would base its strategy on a new, more targeted approach in the northern section of the enclave and a continuing pursuit of Hamas leaders in the south.

The announcement came as Israel continued drawing down its forces in Gaza to allow thousands of reservists to return to their jobs after growing international pressure to shift to less intense combat operations.

“In the northern region of the Gaza strip, we will transition to a new combat approach in accordance with military achievements on the ground,” Gallant’s office said in a statement it said outlined the guiding principles reflecting Gallant’s vision for the next phases of the war.

He said operations would include raids, demolishing tunnels, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations. In the south of the besieged enclave, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is now living, many in tents and other temporary shelters, the operation would continue to try to eliminate Hamas leaders and rescue Israeli hostages.

“It will continue for as long as is deemed necessary,” the statement said.

The offensive has killed more than 22,000, according to Palestinian health authorities, forced most of the population out of their homes and
reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

After the war, Gallant said Hamas would no longer control Gaza and Israel would reserve its operational freedom of action, with a multinational task force led by the US in partnership with the EU and regional partners taking responsibility for rehabilitating the territory.

But he ruled out a return of the Israeli settlements in Gaza withdrawn in 2005, saying there would be no Israeli civilian presence and that Palestinian bodies would govern the enclave.