Israel ‘does not plan to control life in Gaza’ after destroying Hamas

Yoav Gallant’s comments to politicians were the first time an Israeli leader discussed its long-term plans for Gaza

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip (Francisco Seco/AP)

Israel has said it does not plan to take long-term control over the Gaza Strip after an expected ground offensive to root out Hamas militants that rule the territory.

The Israeli military punished Gaza with air strikes, and authorities inched closer to bringing aid to desperate families and hospitals, as people across Muslim countries protested in solidarity with Palestinians.