The Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza after the war, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said on Wednesday, as expectations grew that a deal to halt fighting and start returning Israeli hostages was near.

Palestinian PM Mohammad Mustafa emphasizes the Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza post-war. Amid near-ceasefire negotiations, governance remains key. Mustafa calls for continued pressure for a ceasefire and rejects any split from the West Bank.

The latest news from the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) so-called “Protecting the Homeland” operation in the Jenin refugee camp paints a grim picture. Nine Palestinian lives have been claimed in this ongoing crackdown which began on December 5,

Mohammad Mustafa is Prime Minister of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which rules parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.