Ramallah – Hussein al-Sheikh, Deputy President of the Palestinian Authority, met with former UN Special Coordinator Nickolay Mladenov in Ramallah on Friday to discuss the implementation of the second phase of the US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza. The meeting took place amid ongoing international arrangements.
The meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah followed Mladenov’s discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reports suggest that Washington is considering Mladenov for a role in the ‘Peace Council’ overseeing the administration of the Gaza Strip.
Al-Sheikh stated on social media that his meeting with Mladenov focused on ‘the situation in the Gaza Strip, ways to transition to the second phase, mechanisms for implementing President Trump’s plan, and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.’ He emphasized that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine.
In a statement, al-Sheikh called for Gaza to be politically, administratively, and legally linked to the Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank, adhering to the principle of a unified authority, a single law, and one legitimate armed force. The discussion also addressed the role of the Palestinian Administrative Committee and security services in assuming their responsibilities within Gaza, reinforcing the region’s connection to the Palestinian Authority as the sovereign and legitimate entity.
The need for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza was also emphasized as a prerequisite for implementing the second phase of the plan. The UN Security Council approved the Trump plan last November. The plan, consisting of 20 points, stipulates that Gaza will be administered by a temporary Palestinian committee of non-partisan technocrats, overseen by the ‘Peace Council’.
The ceasefire agreement brought an end to two years of conflict in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has warned that escalating Israeli violations could jeopardize the agreement’s stability. The second phase is expected to include a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
The conflict in Gaza resulted in significant casualties.
