"They'll manage with Egypt": the plan to disconnect Israel from the Gaza Strip

Hamas economy researcher Eyal Ofer calls for closing Israel's border with Gaza, stopping the transfer of resources to the Strip, and connecting it economically to Egypt. According to him, the ideological infrastructure should be rebuilt before the physical one. He said this in an interview on 103FM, in response to comments by hosts Barkovitz and Segal.

In an interview on 103FM, Hamas economy researcher Eyal Ofer presented a plan to disconnect Israel from the Gaza Strip. Ofer said Israel should close its border with Gaza, stop transferring resources to it, and close the Kerem Shalom crossing, and connect the Strip economically to Egypt. He argued that before rebuilding the physical infrastructure, the ideological infrastructure must be changed, and that the responsibility lies with Arab countries, especially Egypt. Ofer criticized Israeli politicians, who he says sell dreams: Kushner and Witkoff on Gaza City, Smotrich and Strook on settlement, and Netanyahu on demilitarization and toppling Hamas. He stressed that the main security danger is in Judea and Samaria, and that the campaign for the State of Israel is in Western countries, where Israel is seen as a pariah state. Host Barkovitz suggested leaving the current situation, where Israel controls 60% of the Strip, and responding by air to any attack. Ofer mostly agreed but added that the world must be made clear that billions will not be invested in Gaza as long as the ideological infrastructure exists. He concluded that Israel should change its language from 'siege' to 'freedom', close the border, and remain in the security perimeter.