UNITED NATIONS, July 28. /TASS/. The Palestinian National Authority would not object to a deployment of regional and international forces in Gaza for monitoring ceasefire compliance and maintaining security, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said.

He made the statement at a high-level UN international conference on the Palestinian issue, also insisting that Hamas must turn in its weapons to the PNA.

"Hamas must end its control over Gaza and transfer its weapons to the Palestinian National Authority. We are ready to call for the deployment of regional and international forces in coordination with the State of Palestine as part of a mission authorized by the Security Council [of the United Nations] to protect our people, monitor ceasefire compliance by all sides and ensure security," he said.

According to Mustafa, these forces would not replace the Palestinian security forces.

The prime minister said joint efforts are needed to reunite the Gaza Strip with the West Bank "without occupation, settlements, forced displacement, or annexation."

"We need to rebuild Gaza together with our people <...>, achieve Palestinian independence, and implement the two-state solution, in which Palestine and Israel will live side by side in peace and security, for the sake of regional peace, security, and prosperity," Mustafa said.

The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, 2023 accompanied by killings of residents of Israeli settlements near the border and taking hostages. Israel declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and started a military operation to free the hostages and dismantle Hamas’ combat capabilities.

In March, Israel resumed military operations in Gaza, breaking the ceasefire established in January this year. During several rounds of negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, the parties to the conflict were unable to agree on the terms of a new deal.