Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country aims to take control of the entire Gaza Strip, but stressed that it does not seek long-term control or governance of the area.

We want to create a security zone and we do not want to administer it. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will administer it properly and will not threaten us, he said, according to the Jerusalem Post.

FOX: Will Israel take control of all of Gaza?

NETANYAHU: We intend to

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 7, 2025

Netanyahu's statement came minutes before a scheduled meeting of the Security Council, which is expected to consider the plan for the temporary occupation of Gaza by Israeli forces.

Army-government disagreement

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Eyal Zamir, noted that the army disagrees with the idea of a complete occupation of Gaza, and pledged to raise the issue at the Council meeting.

We are dealing with matters of life and death, defending our country, with care for our soldiers and the citizens of Israel. We will continue to act responsibly, honestly and decisively, with the security and prosperity of Israel as our sole concern, Zamir said.

He also announced the completion of Operation Gideon's Chariots, noting: We now have the ability to establish a new security reality at the border, maintaining constant pressure on the enemy. We will no longer limit our response. We will neutralize threats in their early stages, on all fronts, and continue to pursue our objectives.

The general stressed that the priority remains the defeat of Hamas and the return of the hostages: Our goal is to defeat Hamas and continue our action, focusing on our hostages. We will do everything in our power to bring them back.