US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Israel cannot run Gaza, but there may be a transition period following the end of the current conflict.

“Gaza cannot continue to be run by Hamas. That simply invites repetition of October 7 … It’s also clear that Israel cannot occupy Gaza,” Blinken told reporters after a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo.

“Now, the reality is that there may be a need for some transition period at the end of the conflict … We don’t see a reoccupation and what I’ve heard from Israeli leaders, is that they have no intent to reoccupy Gaza,” he added.