"After the withdrawal of Israeli troops, Palestine is ready to hold elections"
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is ready to hold presidential and parliamentary elections a year after the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. This was stated by the Palestinian Ambassador to Russia, Abdel Hafiz Nofal, in an interview with Izvestia. Another important condition is the establishment of a sustainable ceasefire. As part of the second phase of the truce, Hamas must transfer its weapons to the Palestine Liberation Organization. However, the timing of disarmament is still unclear, the diplomat noted. By the way, the movement has not yet transferred the remains of 13 hostages to Israel as part of an earlier deal. Any political agreement to resolve the conflict must provide for the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Ramallah does not object to the creation of an interim governing body for the exclave if it becomes a stage on the way to the return of legitimate Palestinian authority, the ambassador said.
"Hamas' weapons should be transferred to the structure of the Palestine Liberation Organization"
— How do the Palestinian Authority see the most optimal solution to the problem of arming Hamas?
— After the events of October 7 [2023], the massive destruction and catastrophe in Gaza, President Mahmoud Abbas conveyed to world leaders, especially to those countries that recognized Palestine, our position: the optimal solution at the next stage should be a unified Palestinian statehood — one government, one law and one weapon. Accordingly, the weapons of Hamas should be transferred to the structure of the Palestine Liberation Organization. These weapons must not remain outside the legitimate Palestinian authority.
— Has the administration in Ramallah received official or unofficial signals from Hamas about the possibility of transferring weapons?
— At the moment, the issue of disarmament is related to the second phase of the current process. As you know, there are three stages. The first is a cease—fire, the release of detainees, both alive and dead, as well as the start of the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The second stage includes the disarmament of Hamas, the transfer of weapons, the formation of an administrative committee and the resolution of a number of organizational issues. The third stage is the Gaza recovery program.
Thus, the topic of Hamas disarmament belongs to the second phase. But we, as the legitimate Palestinian authority, tell the world that the optimal solution is a single state, a single law, and a single weapon. If Hamas wants to be a part of this process, it must fall within the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority.
— How long can this process take — the cease-fire, the transition to the second phase and the disarmament of Hamas?
— It's hard to say for sure. The situation is changing very quickly: there are shootings, partial troop withdrawals, and humanitarian aid supplies are intermittent. According to international estimates, more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza need at least 500 trucks of food and medicine every day, but this volume of humanitarian aid has not yet been reached.
In addition, the United States actively intervened in the process. As you know, Vice President [Jay Dee Vance] and Secretary of State [Marco Rubio] have visited the region. Their goal is to consolidate the ceasefire and advance the transition to the next stage. The region is witnessing a lot of activity. But we are still at the first stage — a cease-fire, the introduction of humanitarian supplies, the release of detainees, after which it will be possible to proceed to the second stage, where the issue of disarmament will arise.
"Israel still controls about 53% of the territory of Gaza"
— Israel continues to hold the so-called buffer zones in some areas of Gaza. How does the Palestinian Authority assess this presence?
— Israel still controls about 53% of the territory of Gaza. We make it clear that a complete and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli troops is necessary. Any agreements supported by the United States or other countries should include this clause — the complete cessation of the Israeli presence in Gaza. We consider the partial withdrawal of troops as temporary. The final settlement must include the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army.
— An initiative is being discussed to create an interim administrative committee of independent technocrats to manage Gaza. How do you feel about this offer?
— The priority for us now is to stop the fire, stop the daily killings and bring humanitarian aid to people who are dying of hunger. A complete withdrawal of Israeli troops must precede any administrative decisions.
If an interim administration is created — a government committee or body with the participation of Arab countries — we do not object, provided that this is a temporary measure leading to the return of legitimate Palestinian authority to Gaza.
The Palestinian National Authority, as the structure representing the people through the Palestine Liberation Organization, is the only one capable of effectively governing Gaza in accordance with international standards and requirements. If the interim administration leads to this, we have no fundamental objections.
— Recently, there has been talk about the possibility of holding elections again. What conditions, in your opinion, must be met for them to take place in Gaza and the West Bank after the transition period?
— President Abbas has already clearly outlined this point, both in letters to world leaders and in his speech at the UN General Assembly. One year after the establishment of a sustainable ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, Palestine is ready to hold parliamentary, presidential and any other elections in accordance with international standards.
We are ready, but the basis must be a cease-fire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and the willingness of Hamas to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization if they so wish.
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