Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has declared that the Gaza Strip must be governed solely by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the future, Asharq Al-Awsat via Reuters reported on January 15th.
Speaking at a conference in Norway on January 15th, Mustafa stated that “it will not be acceptable” for any other entity to control Gaza.
Hamas has maintained power in Gaza since 2007, leaving the PA with limited governance over areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Mustafa’s comments came amid ongoing discussions for a ceasefire in Gaza, which has now passed.
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Mustafa emphasised that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”
Mustafa added: “We should not leave Gaza to vacuum … We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”
Norway is one of three European countries that recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024.
Israel remains firmly opposed to any governance of Gaza by Hamas and has expressed almost equal opposition to rule by the PA. According to Reuters, Israeli officials have accused the PA of backing attacks on Israel, claiming Hamas would ultimately dominate any Palestinian state due to its strong support among Palestinians outside of Gaza.
Asharq Al-Awsat, Reuters
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