Palestinian Authority eyes post-war Gaza role, banking on Arab support to defy Trump plan

The Palestinian Authority (PA) expects a significant role in post-war Gaza, even though President Donald Trump’s plan sidelines it for now, and is banking on Arab support to secure its position despite Israeli objections, Palestinian officials say.

Gaza’s future governance has moved into focus with a ceasefire due to begin on Thursday, the first step in Trump’s bid to end two years of war.

The next phase of the deal must tackle thorny issues, including demands that the Islamist militant group Hamas disarm and end its rule in Gaza, from where it launched the October 7 attacks on Israel that ignited the war.

Hamas seized control of the coastal enclave from Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

Trump’s proposal foresees an internationally supervised technocratic Palestinian committee taking over Gaza after the war.

It requires the PA, which is based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to enact reforms before it can assume power. While the PA has welcomed Trump’s efforts, its officials have privately expressed disappointment.

An alternative plan drawn up by Saudi Arabia and France had emphasised its leading role in Gaza. Abbas has already declared his commitment to tackling corruption, holding elections, and other reforms requested by Western nations, helping to convince several of them to recognise Palestine in recent weeks.