Mohamed Garba
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has firmly rejected a reported proposal by former U.S. President Donald Trump for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take control of the Gaza Strip in the wake of ongoing turmoil in the region.
The proposal, first revealed by sources close to Trump, was allegedly aimed at stabilizing Gaza by placing it under the administration of the PA, which currently governs parts of the West Bank. However, Abbas swiftly dismissed the idea, stating that any resolution to the situation in Gaza must come through a broader political agreement that ensures Palestinian sovereignty and an end to Israeli occupation.
“We will not be part of any arrangement that bypasses the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people or ignores our national aspirations,” Abbas declared in a press conference. “Gaza is an integral part of Palestine, and any future governance must be determined through national unity and not imposed from external forces.
”The rejection comes amid heightened tensions in Gaza following months of conflict and humanitarian struggles. Trump, who remains a highly polarizing figure in international politics, reportedly floated the idea as part of a larger Middle East policy framework. His proposal was met with mixed reactions, with some Israeli officials viewing it as a possible path to stabilizing the enclave, while others expressed skepticism over the PA’s ability to govern Gaza effectively.
The Hamas-led administration in Gaza also dismissed the notion, calling it an “American-Israeli scheme” to weaken Palestinian resistance.
Middle East analysts suggest that Abbas’s rejection reflects deep mistrust of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts, particularly following the controversial Trump-era policies that saw the U.S. recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and broker normalization deals between Israel and Arab states without Palestinian input.
As diplomatic discussions continue, the Palestinian leadership insists that any solution for Gaza must be part of a comprehensive peace process that includes Palestinian self-determination, an end to Israeli occupation, and the establishment of an independent state.
With international pressure mounting, the situation in Gaza remains precarious, and the path forward remains uncertain.
