Did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands next to Donald Trump at a joint press conference earlier this month, and did the president know that he would announce America's plan to take over Gaza? It's unclear, but it's probably the brand that Trump's official statement will surprise everyone.
While gaining footing in the Mediterranean, there are strategic advantages, but Gaza's US management is not certain. The announcement is simply the “art of dealing,” part of Trump's signature negotiation tactics. It remains uncertain how the ownership debate unfolds, but one thing is clear. It is everyone's interest in war-torn strips that are now nothing more than bombed tile bles.
Without considering the historical meaning, Gazan erased what he presented to the world as the origins of his civilization.
The destruction of Gaza is not as broad as Dresden, where the Royal Air Force bombed 90% of the city in the last few months of World War II. At the start of the campaign, Israel warned that all structures in Gaza would be destroyed, Approximately one third Standing. However, these buildings are not inhabited due to a lack of utilities. This means that rebuilding must start a new one.
Unlike Dresden and other European cities that lost their precious architectural treasures, Gaza had little historical or artistic significance on earth. Evacuated residents have introduced luxury accommodation and lavish dinners on social media, depicting what they call “beautiful Gaza.” However, these images were taken before the October 7th massacre, in which terrorists and their civilian accomplices massacred nearly 1,600 Israelis and took hundreds of hostages.
Gazan is almost emotional. But they did not like cities to give up hostages in exchange for peace, and the truth is that their settlements were primarily composed of soulless concrete blocks. Replacing them is not that challenging. That's not a difficult place.
US Middle Eastern Envoy Steve Witkoff's estimate It takes 10-15 years to rebuild Gaza. Provided by the United Nations Unoptimistic outlookprojecting a 21-year timeline at a price tag of $1.2 billion. The first major hurdle is to clear the tile rub.
Buried treasure
Since Israel brought war to Gaza, 50 million tonnes of debris have accumulated throughout the strip, some of which have been contaminated with asbestos. Human remains are one of the remains. Hamas claims that 10,000 fighters are buried in the tiled rub. The hostage remains are also found and must be returned to Israel. It is estimated that unexploded weapons are becoming more common.
Developers cannot simply send bulldozers to clean up the land. There is another reason that cleaning and reconstructing in Gaza can be a complicated task. Its greatest wealth lies beneath the surface. The 140-square-mile enclave is at a historic crossroads where layers of sand filled fragments of civilizations of the past.
The Arabized form of Gaza, the ancient Hebrew name Aza, meaning “strong,” has a deep historical heritage. In the 1960s, archaeologists discovered pre-Islamic things 6th century synagogue It is decorated with mosaics. Recently, in 2022, contractors were mistakenly identified Roman Necropolis From the time of Jesus as the tunnel of Hamas before he realized its true importance.
Gazan proves himself a poor guardian of the World Heritage Site. 2017, Terrorists The excavated site was destroyed Of the 4,500-year-old Kananite villages, they were replaced with apartment buildings and military bases. The dismantling is in stark contrast to the changing narrative of the Palestinian nationalist movement. Initially, the movement claimed the legacy of the Philistines, but recently adopted it The ancestors of the CanaanitesAlthough the Canaanites no longer existed as a clear cultural group around the fall of the Bronze Age when Jewish tribes arrived in the Levant.
Without considering the historical meaning, Gazan erased what he presented to the world as the origins of his civilization.
Terror tunnel under Gaza, It spans 350-450 milesburied without archaeological inspections. Despite the existence of NGOs in the area since the 1950s, no international organization wonders what happened to the excavated soil. Additional damage could have occurred when Israel attempted to eliminate Hamas and destroyed many of its underground networks. Their destruction became the centre of Israeli military strategy as terrorists used these tunnels to hide hostages and launch attacks.
Preserving archaeological sites buried inside the ruins may not be a priority now, but it should be. Researchers should examine debris before new construction begins.
I'm ready to go
Israel works to protect archaeological and religious sites, but Arab authorities in the area have troubling records in the ancient times of the holy sites. In the 1990s, the WAQF, the Council of Islamic Religion, overseeing the holy sites of Jerusalem, was held. Illegal excavation On the mountain of the temple. The council secretly removed artifacts from the first and second Jewish temples and dumped them in nearby valleys under the cover of the night.
The exaggeration occurred at the height of utopianism in two states, and the Israeli government passively observed destruction. Tolerance for such wild barrage declined after the terrorist war in the 2000s, particularly after the October 7th massacre.
Before meeting Netanyahu, Trump said Gazan had it There is no alternative But to leave, the position he has repeated several times since. Relocating around 2 million people presents a major challenge, but with realistic reconstruction efforts that are likely to take away generations, they need a place to go.
Even before the conflict escalated in October 2023, Approximately half A young Gazan's expression The desire to leave. The issue was openly discussed, so Israeli journalist Shromi Elder discovered it. Most Gazans are ready to move.
After the recent ceasefire, Gazan declared victory. From sadistic hostage release ceremonies to terrorist parades and growing women, observing their celebrations brings to the reality that even after a year and a half, many people show little interest in coexistence. It's difficult to ignore.
If reconstruction occurs while remaining, NGOs that previously allied with Hamas and ignored the looting of precious lands could once again provide material support. Even if a new set of NGOs emerges, history suggests that organizations cannot run in Gaza without matching terrorist groups.
Hamas relied on the small, flat landscape of Gaza to launch an attack and retreated into the tunnel network. If it remains unharmed, Hamas will likely continue to recklessly expand its underground infrastructure.
A landscape that will flourish again?
There is a continuing debate as to whether Gaza belongs to the Bible Jewish state. Some argue that it belongs primarily to the Philistines and has never been incorporated into the kingdom of ancient Israel. But others should note that it is part of it The Promised Landcaptured by Judas and is frequently mentioned in the Bible. Despite this history, Israel has refrained from officially claiming its territory.
Religious considerations aside, Israel should have full authority over the future of Gaza. It is not just a harmful party that is entitled to compensation, but also a proven steward of the land. The Zionist Project transformed the land into a thriving community by draining marshlands, irrigating irrigated fields and building one of the world's most advanced societies. It also protects cultural heritage.
Hamas should not take the land hostage again with murderous ambitions. For justice and memory, a small section of the Gaza Strip – perhaps a remnant of the tunnel – should be preserved as a hostage memorial.
