Seizure of Gaza City best way to end the war speedily: Netanyahu

He says Israel has no plans to occupy entire Strip, vows to create safe corridors for aid

- Aqil Hamzah

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Aug 10 that the new plan for Gaza City recently approved by Israel's security Cabinet provided "the best way to end the war".

"This is the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily," he said in a news conference.

Mr. Netanyahu said Israel had no choice but to "complete the job" and wipe out Hamas, given the Palestinian militant group's refusal to lay down its arms.

But he said Israel has no plans to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, and vowed to create safe corridors for aid.

"Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to establish a civilian administration in the Strip that is not affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority," he said, ahead of an operation to seize Gaza City.

Mr. Netanyahu said the new operation would be on a "fairly short timetable".

"I don't want to talk about exact timetables, but we're talking in terms of a fairly short timetable because we want to bring the war to an end," he said.