Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh resigns amid ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday during a press conference that he submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas. Shtayyeh stated at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting, "The government's resignation was made available to President Abbas on February 20th, and today I present it formally."

He reiterated that this move is necessary "in light of the political, security, and economic developments related to the aggression on the Gaza Strip and the unprecedented escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and what our people and the Palestinian cause and political system face of a fierce and unprecedented attack."

Abbas still needs to accept his resignation, and he could be asked to continue in his role as interim manager until a permanent replacement is found.

In a statement to cabinet, Shtayyeh, an academic economist who took office in 2019, said the next stage would need to take account of the emerging reality in Gaza, which has been laid waste by nearly five months of heavy fighting.

He stated that the following phase will "require new governmental and political arrangements that take into account the emerging reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an inter-Palestinian consensus" .

After the war broke out on October 7, in response to an offensive launched by Hamas on southern Israel, Israel declared it would destroy Hamas and that it would not recognize Palestinian Authority administration over Gaza for security reasons. According to Israeli estimates, the attack claimed the lives of some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. According to Palestinian health authorities, about 30,000 Palestinians have died in the war in Gaza so far, and nearly all of the population has been forced from their homes.
 

• Mohammad Shtayyeh