The intense phase of the war “will soon end” in the southern Gaza Strip, where Israel is currently carrying out the most intense strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday, as quoted by AFP.

“We have clearly said that the intensive phase of operations will last for about three months,” “in the south we will get there and it will end soon,” the minister said, adding that “the time will come when we will enter the next phase” of the war in Gaza.

He did not specify what the next phase of the war would be.

Gallant also said the Palestinians would rule Gaza after the war, when the Palestinian Islamist movement is “no longer a threat” to Israel.

“Palestinians live” in Gaza, “so Palestinians (will) rule it in the future. The future government of Gaza must come out of the Gaza Strip and be based on forces that do not threaten the state of Israel,” said Yoav Gallant.