President Abbas Signals Readiness to Govern Gaza After Ceasefire Agreement
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirms the Palestinian Authority’s readiness to take full control of Gaza post-ceasefire, while reiterating calls for a complete Israeli withdrawal.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is prepared to assume full responsibility for Gaza following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. In a statement released on Friday, the Palestinian presidency confirmed that under Abbas’s leadership, the PA has made all necessary preparations to take control of the war-torn enclave.
“The Palestinian government, following President Abbas’s directives, has completed all preparations to assume full responsibility in Gaza,” the statement said. This responsibility would include the safe return of displaced people, the provision of essential services, the management of border crossings, and the reconstruction of the devastated territory.
The statement, published by the Palestinian Wafa news agency, also reiterated Abbas’s call for an immediate ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, emphasizing the PA’s stance on ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.
Since 2007, Hamas has held control over Gaza, while the PA, led by Abbas’s Fatah movement, governs the West Bank, which remains under Israeli occupation. While the PA has expressed readiness to govern Gaza post-war, Israel has not clarified its position on the future of governance in the enclave. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have consistently rejected the idea of either Hamas or the PA ruling Gaza, viewing it as a "reward" for the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas.
However, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced support last week for the PA’s governance in Gaza, advocating for the Palestinian Authority to take over the administration of the territory.
Palestinian leaders from various factions have emphasized that Gaza’s future should be determined by Palestinians themselves, rejecting any foreign interference in the decision-making process.
On Friday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa reiterated that the Palestinian government institutions were ready to restore basic services to Gaza. Mustafa also called on the European Union (EU) to redeploy a monitoring mission at the Rafah border crossing and to assist in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“We have clear instructions for our ministers on what to do as soon as the ceasefire is implemented. We also have a detailed 100-day plan for the post-ceasefire phase,” Mustafa said during a visit to Brussels.