Israel seeks to destroy Hamas, elevating the query of who would run the Palestinian territory after the warfare.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) may return to energy within the Gaza Strip provided that a “complete political resolution” is discovered to the Israel-Palestine battle, in line with PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas on Sunday met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who’s on yet one more tour of the area as Israel’s lethal navy marketing campaign in Gaza nears a month.
“We are going to absolutely assume our tasks inside the framework of a complete political resolution that features all the [occupied] West Financial institution, together with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip,” Abbas was quoted as telling Blinken by the official Palestinian information company Wafa.
Israel says Hamas can now not be left in command of the besieged enclave after the group’s October 7 assault that left about 1,400 Israelis lifeless – a sentiment backed by Washington.
Hamas, thought of a “terrorist” group by the US and the European Union, is a rival of Abbas’s Fatah social gathering. Hamas took over Gaza from the PA in 2007, after being blocked from exercising actual energy regardless of profitable a parliamentary election the earlier yr.
Israel absolutely withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005 however imposed a crippling blockade on the coastal territory after Hamas took energy.
Blinken made a shock go to to the occupied West Financial institution on Sunday as Israel pressed on with its assaults on Gaza, the place the demise toll has reached practically 10,000, virtually half of them youngsters.
Israeli floor forces additionally proceed to push into Gaza, engaged in heavy combating with Hamas fighters, whereas Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has persistently rejected rising calls for a ceasefire.
In what gave the impression to be essentially the most direct US place for the reason that begin of the warfare on October 7, Blinken informed Abbas the PA ought to play a central function in the way forward for Gaza, the Reuters information company reported.
The company quoted an unnamed senior US State Division official as saying the “way forward for Gaza was not the main target of the assembly however the Palestinian Authority appeared prepared to play a task”.
Abbas and Blinken reportedly talked for about an hour in Ramallah however didn’t handle the media, as Blinken had performed throughout the earlier legs of his regional journey.
Blinken mentioned Washington is dedicated to getting assist into Gaza and restoring important providers after Israel reduce entry to meals, water and electrical energy within the besieged enclave.
Nevertheless, the US has additionally opposed a ceasefire, as a substitute going solely as far as to again a “pause” to facilitate humanitarian assist and permit some residents to exit Gaza by means of the Egypt-controlled Rafah border crossing.
