Israel wants to create buffer zone in Gaza to prevent future attacks after war ends: report

Israeli soldiers work on armored military vehicles along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip on Monday, Nov. 20. (AP/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israel is hoping to create a buffer zone on the Palestinian side of the Gaza Strip to protect itself against future attacks following the conclusion of its war with Hamas, Reuters is reporting Friday, citing Egyptian and regional sources.

"Israel wants this buffer zone between Gaza and Israel from the north to the south to prevent any Hamas or other militants from infiltrating or attacking Israel," the news agency quoted a senior regional security official as saying.

Three regional sources told Reuters that the idea has been mentioned by Israel to Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Ophir Falk, the foreign policy adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said to Reuters that "a buffer zone may be part of the demilitarization process" after the war.

Falk reportedly added that Israel wants to carry out a "three-tier process" of destroying Hamas, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip and then deradicalizing the area.