Israel war: Israeli foreign minister says Gaza territory will shrink after war

The Israeli foreign minister said Gaza will be reduced in size after the war.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told Israeli Army Radio that Israel's war aims are not just the total destruction of Hamas, but the country also aims to reduce the size of Gaza. The pronouncement is the most explicit indication yet that Israel will move to annex parts of Gaza, as some analysts have speculated.

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Chief of MFA Protocol Gil Haskel, center, and Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, left, welcome, Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday Oct. 12, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

“At the end of this war, not only will Hamas no longer be in Gaza, but the territory of Gaza will also decrease,” Cohen said.

Israeli officials have previously indicated that Gaza will be changed in some way and that the old order will be upended, but they hadn't spoken of changes to Gaza's territory.

The Times of Israel speculated that the statement indicates that Israel will move to create a buffer zone within Gaza to prevent attacks against Israeli border villages, such as the brutal attack by Hamas earlier this month.

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Annexing part of Gaza, or establishing a buffer zone, would be sure to further embitter the Palestinian populace and the Arab world, and it could further complicate peace talks.

President Joe Biden warned against any occupation of Gaza, saying it would be a "big mistake."