Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Jonathan Miller, said on August 10 that Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza, while reiterating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conditions for ending the ongoing war.

Miller’s comments come as Israel’s prime minister previously said that IDF troops would occupy Gaza City indefinitely if an agreement could not be reached.

He was quickly criticised by the UK government, which said it would continue to seek recognition of Palestine in the UN along with several other countries.

Speaking during a UNSC meeting, Miller described some of the remarks made by other representatives as “extraordinary and brazen” and urged the council to prioritise dismantling Hamas. “Anything less is not urgency but hypocrisy,” he told members.

He added that the IDF’s mission was the disarmament of Hamas and the “liberation of the [Gazan] population.”

The Israeli official outlined the five principles Netanyahu announced in a news conference earlier in the day: the disarmament of Hamas; the return of all hostages; the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip; Israel maintaining “overriding security control” in Gaza; and the creation of an “alternative civil administration” unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

Miller also claimed that recent negotiations with Hamas collapsed on the same day that France announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state. He suggested that such recognition undermined diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

Addressing the UNSC directly, Miller urged member states to channel their efforts toward Hamas’ dismantlement, warning that failure to do so would prolong instability in the region.

“The urgency is to remove the threat,” he said, maintaining that Israel’s military campaign is aimed solely at eliminating Hamas’ capacity to operate, not at establishing a permanent occupation of Gaza.

Prior to the Israeli official’s comments in the main chamber, Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, said it is "undeniable" that Israel does not care what UNSC members say, adding "The only thing that matters now is what we do."

Mansour also said that whilst he appreciated the statements of support from fellow council members, it is "not sufficient".

"You have to act. You have to do something about it. You have to stop it", he added.