Egypt Daily News – The leaders of France, Egypt, and Jordan have stated that the Palestinian Authority must lead post-war governance in Gaza. The issue of who will govern the Palestinian territory has been a major obstacle in efforts to extend a ceasefire in Gaza, which collapsed last month.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Palestinian militant group Hamas should have no role in governing Gaza once the war with Israel ends.
“Governance, law and order, and security in Gaza, as well as in all Palestinian territories, must be the sole responsibility of a strengthened Palestinian Authority,” the three leaders stated in a joint declaration.
President Macron also expressed strong opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians and supported a Gaza reconstruction plan backed by the Arab League, which contrasts with a U.S. proposal to relocate Gaza’s inhabitants.
President Macron praised Egypt’s crucial work on this reconstruction plan, which he believes offers a realistic path to rebuilding Gaza and establishing new Palestinian governance. The Palestinian Authority, dominated by Hamas’s rival Fatah party, currently operates from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where it has partial administrative control.
“Hamas must have no role in this governance of Gaza and must no longer constitute a threat to Israel,” President Macron stated. Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas and rejected any future role for the group in Gaza after its unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack, which led to the ongoing war. Hamas has governed Gaza since 2007. While the group has suggested it might allow Palestinian technocrats to handle administrative matters, it has not agreed to disarm.
Call to Trump
Following a two-month truce, Israel resumed heavy bombardment and ground operations in Gaza, resulting in at least 1,391 Palestinian deaths since March 18, according to the territory’s health ministry.
The three leaders in Cairo called for an “immediate return” to the ceasefire. Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. brokered the initial truce in January, but it collapsed after Israel sought to extend it while Hamas demanded talks for a second phase, as outlined by then-U.S. President Joe Biden.
King Abdullah, Macron, and President El-Sisi held a summit in Cairo focused on the war and humanitarian efforts to ease the suffering of Gaza’s 2.4 million people. Israel has cut off aid to Gaza since the truce deadlock over a month ago. Macron’s visit also served as a show of support for Egypt and Jordan, which were proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump as potential destinations for Gazans under his widely criticized plan.
The French presidency announced that President Macron arranged a call with President Trump, President El-Sisi, and King Abdullah from Cairo to discuss the situation in Gaza. Currently Prime Minister Netanyahu is visiting the USA.
The spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency stated that the three leaders discussed with President Trump ways to ensure an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the need to resume full access for humanitarian aid and the immediate release of all hostages and detainees.
Ambassador Mohamed El-Shinawy, spokesman, added that the three leaders stressed the importance of creating the right conditions for a genuine political horizon and mobilizing international efforts to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, restore security and peace for all, and implement the two-state solution. He also noted that the three leaders and President Trump agreed to maintain close contact.
The spokesman further mentioned that the call also included an emphasis on the urgency of achieving peace in Ukraine in accordance with international law, alongside the shared need for international security and stability.
