Ramallah, Prime Minister's Office – The Cabinet reaffirmed, today, the Presidency's statement and President Mahmoud Abbas’s position that the State of Palestine holds full legal and political authority over the Gaza Strip, as the case with the rest of the occupied Palestinian Territory, including the West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as affirming rejection of any attempts to detach or carve up any part of Gaza or approve the forced expulsion of any Palestinian from their homeland.

It also reiterated that the Palestinian Government, under President Abbas's directives, has completed all preparations to assume full responsibilities in Gazaand that its administrative and security personnel are fully prepared to carry out their tasks in order to alleviate the suffering inflicted on the Gaza population; allow displaced persons to return to their homes; restore essential services, including water and electricity to the Strip; assume responsibility for border crossings; and help begin Gaza reconstruction.

“We hope for a permanent ceasefire, followed by relief efforts for our people in Gaza, reconstruction, and ultimately achieving the realization of the Palestinian state under its legitimate leadership,” said Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa during the opening remarks of an extraordinary Cabinet session convened Sunday in Ramallah, in the presence of the heads of the Water and Energy Authorities and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, to coordinate governmental field efforts in Gaza.

“Today’s session aims to outline the necessary steps to support our people in Gaza at this crucial moment. I have briefed Mr. President on the Government’s relief and early recovery plan, prepared months ago and recently updated, as well as ongoing Government efforts to put these plans into implementation,” he added.

At the relief efforts level, the Ministry of Social Development, in collaboration with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and international relief organizations, is working to utilize the Ministry's National Social Registry for aid distribution, with the support of partner institutions in Gaza.

The Cabinet also discussed the plans of the Ministries of Public Works, Local Government, and Transportation, including efforts to open main roads in coordination with local partners, the provision of temporary shelter caravans donated by several countries, and the detailed rubble removal plan with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to clear roads and debris.

In the health sector, the Cabinet reviewed coordination efforts between the Ministry of Health, the Palestinian Red Crescent, and various healthcare organizations. Currently, there are 18 partially operational hospitals in Gaza, six of which are affiliated with the Ministry of Health, and two with the Red Crescent, supported by over 4,200 Ministry of Health employees working in Gaza.

The Minister of Health confirmed that shipments of medical equipment, supplies, and medications are being prepared from warehouses in the West Bank to be transported and delivered to Gaza, especially following the reopening of the Karm Abu Salem and Rafah border crossings. Concurrently, the Red Crescent has established two field hospitals in southern Gaza and is preparing a third in Al-Saraya Square in Gaza City. Efforts are ongoing to introduce additional ambulances to replace those destroyed by the Israeli occupation.

Additionally, the Cabinet discussed the readiness of the Energy and Water Authorities to provide solar panels and supplies for repairing water and electricity networks. These supplies have been prepared and stored in the West Bank over recent months, awaiting access to Gaza to restore essential services for vital facilities such as healthcare centers and to expand technical operations for repairing networks.

In the education sector, the Ministry of Education is planning to open additional in-person learning centers, leveraging its more than 6,500 teaching staff in Gaza. The Ministry also aims to further develop the online education system introduced for Gaza students in recent months, which currently serves over 290,000 students. Preparations for holding the General Secondary Examination (Tawjihi) in mid-February are also underway. Simultaneously, coordination with universities in Gaza is being strengthened to facilitate the gradual return of in-person education and address needs such as laboratories and workshops for student training, in addition to efforts by  the Ministry of Telecommunications to enhance internet services in Gaza in collaboration with telecommunications companies.