Ramallah: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa announced that his government is ready with plans to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip. Speaking at a workshop in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mustafa emphasized the government's preparedness despite the complexity of the situation and ongoing discussions with relevant parties to achieve reconstruction goals. He expressed the vision of rising from Gaza's catastrophe towards establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, under President Mahmoud Abbas's leadership and national institutions' efforts.

According to Anadolu Agency, Mustafa highlighted that the guarantee for Gaza's reconstruction begins with the full restoration of national legitimacy. He stressed the importance of national civil and security institutions in leading recovery, reconstruction, and the unification of institutions, paving the way for an independent state in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Mustafa's comments came amidst a significant development following US President Donald Trump's announcement last week of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The first phase of Trump's plan, which came into force on Friday, included Hamas releasing 20 living Israeli hostages and the remains of eight captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also outlines a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip. The upcoming second phase calls for establishing a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas' participation, forming a multinational force, and disarming Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 67,900 Palestinians in the enclave, most of whom were women and children, leaving Gaza largely uninhabitable.