US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken believes that the Palestinian Authority will determine the future of the Gaza Strip after the Hamas-Israel war. He also urged the ruling government in the West Bank to prepare for this.
Blinken visited the region yesterday Sunday. He met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the city of Ramallah. During the meeting, the US Secretary of State said, Israel will not stop until Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip, is wiped out. However, Israel will not occupy Gaza, he said. So the ruling government in the West Bank or the Palestinian Authority (PA) must take over Gaza.
Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestine is the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip together. Gaza has always been an integral part of Palestine and the PA is aware of its responsibility for the future of the Valley.
In the meeting, the Palestinian president called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Blinken, however, said Israel was not willing to declare a ceasefire. They continue to try to persuade Israel to declare a humanitarian truce for the sake of the hostages and civilians in Gaza.
Mahmoud Abbas is also the president of the PA alliance and the Fatah party of this alliance. Until 2007, the PA coalition government was in power in the Gaza Strip. In 2007, the pro-independence armed group Hamas emerged in Gaza. After that, Hamas took over the valley after removing the PA coalition.
Hamas has always believed in the liberation of Palestine through armed struggle. On the other hand, the PA wants the establishment of an independent Palestinian state through negotiation, diplomacy and political methods.
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