Last week, US media reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was advocating the idea of an indefinite occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel. In November, Netanyahu said he would oppose the transfer of the Gaza Strip to the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, who had still not condemned the actions of Hamas.
"The Palestinian government led by President Mahmoud Abbas will reject any decision involving the separation of the Gaza Strip from the Palestinian state. There cannot be any Palestinian state without Gaza, and no one can determine the fate of Gaza other than the Palestinian people," Nofal said.
Speaking of political disagreements with Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, the ambassador said the Palestinian Authority still viewed the movement as "part of the Palestinian people."
"All that we seek is to unite the Palestinians based on the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the only lawful representative of the Palestinian people, and to hold parliamentary and presidential elections as part of launching a comprehensive political process, which will undoubtedly lead to the fulfillment of our lawful national rights and aspirations," Nofal said.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 20,000 civilians, mostly children and women, have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local health authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1.
