Ramallah

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday (Feb 26) said that he had submitted his government's resignation to President Mahmud Abbas stating that Gaza now needed "new political measures" taking into consideration its current status due to the ongoing war.

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"I submit the government's resignation to Mr President (Mahmud Abbas)," Shtayyeh said, adding that it comes in the wake of the "developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem".

He further said that he offered the resignation last Tuesday (Feb 20), but formally submitted it "in writing" on Monday.

The resignation by Shtayyeh's government, which rules parts of the occupied West Bank, comes as countries like the United States called for a reformed Palestinian Authority that would take charge of all Palestinian territories after the war in the Gaza Strip comes to an end.

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'Next stage of Gaza requires new measures,' says Shtayyeh

"The next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip," Shtayyeh said in a brief speech announcing the resignation.

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He also called for an inter-Palestinian consensus and the "extension of the (Palestinian) Authority's rule over the entire land of Palestine".

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"The government was able to achieve a balance between meeting the needs of our people and providing services like infrastructure," said Shtayyeh, whose cabinet took office in 2019.

"We will remain in confrontation with the occupation ... and will continue to struggle to establish a state on the lands of Palestine," he said.

Abbas has faced growing anger since the war broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023 after the Palestinian militant group launched unprecedented attacks against Israel.

Many have criticised the Palestinian president for not strongly denouncing Israel's offensive and the growing violence in the West Bank.

Since 2007, the Palestinian leadership has been split between the Palestinian Authority of Abbas, which exercises limited power in the West Bank, and Hamas which rules Gaza.

It is not yet clear if Abbas will accept the resignation immediately or wait until a new prime minister is appointed.

However, local media reports suggest that Abbas might appoint Mohammed Mustafa, an executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, to head his new cabinet.

(With inputs from agencies)