The United States on Tuesday declared its opposition to a new long-term occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said responsibility for the "comprehensive security" of the besieged enclave lay with them after the end of the war.
State Department spokesman Vidant Patel stated that the American view is that Gaza is Palestinian land and will remain Palestinian territory, adding that they do not support any forced resettlement of Palestinians outside Gaza and that it is not on the table.
At the same time, Patel stressed the need for Israel and the region to be safe, adding that Gaza cannot be a launching pad for attacks he described as "terrorist" against Israel.
John Kirby, the National Security Council's strategic policy coordinator, stressed that their support for Israel did not necessarily mean agreeing with it to reoccupy Gaza.
Kirby pointed out that they are discussing the future of governance in Gaza in the post-rule phase of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and that they will not accept a return to the situation to what it was before the war, as he put it.
The White House has also stated that Hamas cannot be part of the future in Gaza, and consultations are underway on the form of government there.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said after the State Department remarks that Israel did not want to rule Gaza or impose a civilian administration in the territory.
He said they were looking forward to handing over the rule of Gaza to a coalition that includes America, Europe, Muslim countries or local leaders in the territory.
Netanyahu confirmed in an interview with the American channel "ABC News" on Monday that Israel will assume, for an indefinite period, the overall security responsibility in Gaza, saying that when they do not take over security in Gaza, they will face attacks by Hamas on a scale they cannot imagine.