IDF has no plans to keep soldiers in Gaza after the war ends, even if Israel retains control

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel wants to do three things in Gaza: destroy Hamas, release the Israeli hostages it is holding, and give Gaza a different future. Netanyahu said that Israel must maintain "overall military responsibility" in Gaza "for the foreseeable future." UNN reports with a link to his interview on NPR

Once we defeat Hamas, we have to make sure that there is no new Hamas, no resurgence of terrorism, and now the only force that can ensure that, is Israel

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Netanyahu added that "there should be a civilian government there," but declined to say who he thought it should be. At the same time, he added: "I think I know who it can't be - it can't be people who are involved in financing terrorism and in the promotion of terrorism."

It is unclear who will replace Hamas as the government. Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, has said he is not interested, and neither is Israel.

An Israeli military officer told NPR in early November that some combination of "local and international" forces should run Gaza, but that no candidates for the role have emerged.

SEE ALSO: Israel says it will continue the war until Hamas is completely destroyed

Netanyahu compared the situation in Gaza to the occupation of Germany and Japan by the Allies after World War II, after their surrender, for administrative and rehabilitation purposes (but such an Israeli move would likely be unilateral).

And he called for a "cultural change" in Gaza similar to that of Germany and Japan, when those countries transitioned from authoritarian rule to democracy after surrendering to the Allies. He added that any government in Gaza should fight terrorism, not finance it.