TEHRAN- Soon after Israel launched its brutal onslaught on the Gaza Strip in early October, post-war scenarios came to the fore.

In mid-October, Israel acknowledged that the regime’s Intelligence Ministry had drafted "a wartime proposal" to transfer the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million people to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula.

The move was quickly dismissed by the Egyptian president. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egyptians in their millions would reject the forced displacement of Palestinians into Sinai.

The draft proposal was in line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to “destroy” Hamas and take full control of Gaza. 

Last week, Netanyahu unveiled his post-war Gaza plans. Based on the plans, Israel would take over security control of the entire Gaza Strip and the regime’s military would be granted unlimited freedom for operations inside the territory. 

Speculations regarding Gaza’s future have been further highlighted over the past days following the resignation of the Palestinian Authority prime minister. 

Mohammed Shtayyeh and his government submitted their resignations to President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday. 

“The upcoming phase and its challenges necessitate new governmental and political arrangements, taking into consideration the evolving situation in Gaza, national unity discussions, the urgent need for Palestinian-Palestinian consensus based on national unity, broad participation, solidarity, and the extension of authority over all of Palestine,” Shtayyeh said. 

The Palestinian premier’s announcement comes at a time when the PA faces intense pressure from the United States to reform and improve its governance in the West Bank. 

The White House wants a reformed PA being in control of both the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

But as the Israeli premier’s proposal shows, the regime is opposed to the prospect of the PA returning to Gaza after the war.

Netanyahu has also dismissed the idea of establishing a Palestinian state. 

Unfeasible plans 

Regardless of the differences between the U.S. and Israel over the PA’s return to Gaza, their post-war plans are delusional and unviable. 

First of all, Netanyahu wants to take full control over Gaza after the war eliminating Hamas. But, the elimination of the resistance movement from Gaza has been elusive and will remain so. 

Some two weeks ago, a document drawn up by the Israeli military’s intelligence revealed that the Netanyahu regime will fail to destroy Hamas. 

The document said even if Israel dismantles the resistance group’s organized military capabilities, it will continue to operate in Gaza.  It also said “authentic support remains” for Hamas among the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. 

Over the past months, Herzi Halevi, the head of the Israeli army, has not spoken of eliminating or eradicating Hamas. He has instead raised the possibility of dismantling the resistance group. His approach is an implicit acknowledgment that even a protracted war will not be able to destroy Hamas. 

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has also warned Israel can’t defeat Hamas by military means.

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until “total victory” over Hamas. While his regime remains incapable of defeating Hamas, how can he implement his post-war plans?

Shtayyeh stepped down amid growing U.S. pressure on Abbas to shake up the Palestinian Authority as part of plans to work on a political structure to govern Gaza after the war.

Reports suggest that Abbas will name Mohammad Mustafa, a former World Bank official who is chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund as the new prime minister. 

Irrespective of who will be appointed as a new prime minister, the Palestinian Authority will be unable to govern Gaza.

The PA stands accused of ineffectiveness and corruption. 

Likewise, surveys show it is deeply unpopular among Palestinians who see it as unable to provide security in the face of regular Israeli incursions into the occupied West Bank.  

Furthermore, more than 60% of Palestinians want the PA to be dissolved, that’s according to a survey carried out by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in

December. The opinion poll also revealed that 92% of respondents want President Abbas to resign.

While Gazans remain supportive of Hamas, the resistance group is also gaining popularity in the West Bank. 

Resistance groups such as Hamas remain a thorn in the side of the U.S. and Israel.

They are making attempts to eliminate resistance groups to no avail.