Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian Prime Minister, announced on Monday his resignation to facilitate the formation of a broad consensus among Palestinians regarding political arrangements post-Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Shtayyeh’s decision comes amidst mounting pressure from the United States on President Mahmoud Abbas to revamp the Palestinian Authority, as international efforts intensify to cease the hostilities in Gaza and establish a political framework for governance post-war.
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President Abbas must still approve Shtayyeh’s resignation, with the possibility of him remaining as a caretaker until a permanent replacement is appointed.
In his statement to the cabinet, Shtayyeh, an academic economist, emphasized the necessity for the next phase to acknowledge the evolving reality in Gaza, significantly impacted by nearly five months of intense conflict.
He underscored the need for new governmental and political arrangements that consider Gaza’s emerging reality, ongoing national unity discussions, and the pressing requirement for an inter-Palestinian consensus. Additionally, he emphasized the extension of the Authority’s jurisdiction over the entire Palestinian territory.
The Palestinian Authority, established three decades ago under the Oslo Peace Accords, exercises limited governance in parts of the occupied West Bank, losing control of Gaza following a conflict with Hamas in 2007.
Efforts have been made by Fatah, the faction controlling the PA, and Hamas to negotiate a unity government, with scheduled discussions in Moscow on Wednesday. A senior Hamas official stressed the necessity of broader governance agreements following Shtayyeh’s resignation.
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Israeli authorities have expressed their intent to dismantle Hamas, citing security concerns and rejecting Palestinian Authority rule over Gaza post-war. The conflict ensued after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in casualties, and ongoing casualties have been reported.
According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have perished in the Gaza conflict, with a vast majority displaced from their homes.
