Istanbul / Anadolu

The Palestinian Authority and the 'Peace Council' discussed mechanisms to accelerate the delivery of basic services to the Gaza Strip and support relief and early recovery efforts, paving the way for the start of the recovery and reconstruction phase.

This took place during the third official meeting of the Joint Coordination Office between the two sides, held on the sidelines of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) for Palestine in the Belgian capital Brussels on Monday, according to a statement by the National Committee for the Management of Gaza.

The meeting was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, the High Representative of the 'Peace Council' Nikolay Mladenov, and the Commissioner-General of the National Committee for the Management of Gaza, Ali Abdul Hamid Shaath.

Also present were the committee's Finance Commissioner Bashir al-Rayes, Palestinian Minister of Finance and Planning Stevan Salama, and the Prime Minister's Advisor Omar Awadallah.

The statement explained that the meeting discussed ways to enhance coordination between national and international bodies and accelerate the implementation of initiatives related to providing basic services, relief, and early recovery in the Gaza Strip.

Participants stressed the need for integration of national, regional, and international efforts, and acceleration of the implementation of agreed-upon initiatives to ensure a sustainable response to the needs of the Strip's residents.

In this context, Shaath affirmed that the committee is 'immediately ready' to assume its responsibilities, calling on the international community to turn political and financial pledges into practical steps and actual funding that meets the humanitarian and developmental needs of approximately 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

During the AHLC meeting, Shaath presented the comprehensive recovery program for the Strip, including a plan to transition from emergency relief to early recovery and the reactivation of basic services.

The meeting saw the announcement of the 'Gaza Team' initiative, with the participation of more than 12 donor countries, along with the European Investment Bank and the World Bank, aiming to mobilize about $1 billion to support the recovery program in the Strip.

The National Committee for the Management of Gaza was established by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and the 20-point plan of US President Donald Trump, and held its inaugural meeting in Cairo on January 15, 2026.

During the meeting, the start of the committee's mandate was announced to assume civil and internal security responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, and to oversee its stabilization, recovery, and reconstruction, until the Palestinian Authority completes its own reform program.

However, the committee has not yet begun its tasks from within the Strip, and no clarification has been issued by it or the Israeli side regarding the reasons for its non-entry into Gaza.

On Monday, the Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, Ismail al-Thawabta, announced the resignation of the head of the Government Emergency Committee and the Acting Head of Government Work Follow-up, Muhammad al-Farra, stressing that the step comes 'as a confirmation of the seriousness of the procedures, implementation of agreements, and facilitation of the transfer of the Strip's administration to the National Committee for the Management of Gaza.'

The Gaza Strip faces widespread destruction as a result of the genocidal war waged by Israel since October 8, 2023, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 173,000, in addition to massive infrastructure damage.