Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa declared that the Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza after the war, during a conference in Norway on January 15, 2025. His statement comes as expectations grow for a deal to halt fighting and start returning Israeli hostages.
The negotiations have focused on an immediate ceasefire and exchanging hostages still held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Mustafa emphasized the need for continued pressure to agree to the ceasefire and allow more humanitarian aid for over two million people facing a severe humanitarian crisis after 15 months of war.
Mustafa stated, “While we are waiting for the ceasefire, it is important to stress that it won’t be acceptable for any other entity to govern the Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the state of Palestine.” He also highlighted that Norway’s recognition of a Palestinian state under the Palestinian Authority last year was a significant step towards the two-state solution backed by most of the international community.
Israel has rejected any involvement by Hamas, which governed Gaza before the war, and has been almost equally opposed to rule by the Palestinian Authority. Israeli officials accuse the PA of supporting attacks against Israel and argue that broad support for Hamas among Palestinians outside Gaza means any Palestinian state would inevitably be taken over by the Islamist group.
The PA, dominated by the Fatah faction created by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, also faces opposition from rival faction Hamas, which drove the PA out of Gaza in 2007 after a brief civil war.