Despite Hamas stance, PA says ready to work with Tony Blair
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Hussein al-Sheikh says the PLO is ready to work with Trump, Blair, and partners to stabilize Gaza’s ceasefire, deliver aid, and begin reconstruction.
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Two Palestinian girls pull a cart loaded with belongings as they walk along the heavily damaged al-Jalaa Street in Gaza City, Sunday, October 12, 2025 (AP)
Palestinian Authority Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein al-Sheikh, announced on Sunday the organization’s readiness to cooperate with US President Donald Trump, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and other relevant partners to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and begin post-war recovery.
Al-Sheikh said in a post on X that the PLO is prepared to work with international partners “to stabilize the ceasefire in Gaza, facilitate the entry of aid, release prisoners, and move toward recovery and reconstruction.”
He added that he met with Blair “to discuss the day after [the war] and ways to ensure the success of President Trump’s efforts aimed at ending the war and achieving lasting peace in the region.”
During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of halting any measures that undermine the Palestinian Authority, particularly the return of withheld Palestinian funds, and preventing any actions that could obstruct the "two-state solution".
Al-Sheikh said these steps are necessary “to pave the way for a comprehensive and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy.”
Disarmament only possible when occupation ends
On the other hand, a senior member of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Mohammad Nazzal, said on Sunday that the disarmament of the resistance is inseparable from the continuation of the Israeli occupation, emphasizing that weapons will no longer be needed once the occupation ends.
“The question of whether the movement should have weapons is tied to the occupation, and calls to disarm, lay down arms, or keep them if it ultimately means disarming the resistance are unacceptable,” Nazzal told RIA Novosti.
He added that “the historical memory of peoples and the historical memory of the Palestinian people itself testify that when a person surrenders his weapons to the enemy, the enemy will slaughter him like a sheep, so the possession of weapons is linked to the existence of the occupation. When the occupation ends, there will be no need for weapons.”
Nazzal also revealed that Hamas will present its vision for the post-war administration of the Gaza Strip once negotiations resume, signaling the group’s readiness to engage in future discussions on governance and reconstruction.
Hamas rejects foreign control over Gaza
Commenting on recent proposals to impose an international oversight body or appoint a political figure to govern Gaza, Nazzal firmly rejected what he described as a return to colonial administration.
“We cannot allow the Gaza Strip to return to the old colonial idea of having a high commissioner to govern,” he said. “The Palestinian people have the skills and capabilities to do without high-level envoys. Furthermore, we reject the idea of an international trusteeship over the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people. The Palestinians must govern themselves.”
His remarks came amid reports suggesting that figures such as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair could be considered for a post-war oversight role in Gaza, a proposal Hamas has denounced as undermining Palestinian sovereignty and resistance achievements.
