The Palestinian Authority has informed the United States of its willingness to confront Hamas if necessary to gain control of the Gaza Strip, as revealed during a presentation to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
This proposal was shared on Tuesday in Riyadh by Hussein al-Sheikh, a prominent Palestinian figure considered a potential successor to the aging Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a source from the Palestinian Authority.
The PA’s strategy includes establishing a governing committee for the Gaza Strip, predominantly composed of members from outside the region.
The meeting between Witkoff and Sheikh was arranged by Saudi Arabia at the PA’s request, following Witkoff’s refusal to meet in Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, the source indicated.
Afterward, Witkoff proceeded to Israel for discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Notably, he made a significant visit to Gaza, marking the first time a US official has entered the territory in 15 years.
While Saudi Arabia facilitated the dialogue between the US and the PA, it did not review the proposal prior to its presentation to Witkoff, the source noted.
Who is Ziad Abu Amr? The PA’s nominee for Gaza
Ziad Abu Amr, a long-time advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas, is expected to assume the role of de facto leader of the Gaza Strip, overseeing the proposed committee. He would serve as deputy to Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa, with enhanced authority.
Born in Gaza in 1950, Abu Amr may be viewed favorably by the Trump administration due to his status as a US citizen. He earned his PhD from Georgetown University and held the position of deputy Palestinian prime minister from 2013 to 2024.
Abu Amr has been actively working to reestablish the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) influence in Gaza. He previously opposed funding for the reconstruction of the besieged territory following the 2014 conflict.
“When discussions arise about reconstruction, they often involve the PA’s return to Gaza and governance by the reconciliation government… I believe reconstruction will not occur without this,” he stated in an interview with the Wall Street Journal at that time.
US Skepticism Regarding PA’s Military Capability
The PA’s assertion to the Trump administration that it was prepared to confront Hamas was dismissed by a senior US defense official, who described the claim as “delusional.” The official noted that the PA would require military assistance and possibly troops from other Arab nations or private contractors.
The PA is primarily led by the secular party, Fatah.
In 2007, conflict erupted between Fatah and the Islamist group Hamas after Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections the previous year. Ultimately, Hamas solidified its control over Gaza, while Fatah maintained authority in the occupied West Bank. Attempts at reconciliation between the two factions have repeatedly failed.
Recently, Hamas has put both Israel and the PA in a difficult position by showcasing its popular support in Gaza and its military organization during several high-profile prisoner exchanges. Hamas military units have operated freely in Gaza, orchestrating well-planned prisoner swaps in front of enthusiastic Palestinian crowds.
Israel’s declared objective in the conflict has been the eradication of Hamas.
The recent demonstrations have placed significant strain on the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is already viewed as corrupt and an ally of Israel by a majority of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In light of Trump’s return to the White House, the PA is making urgent efforts to avoid being completely marginalized. Since early December, it has intensified its operations in the Jenin refugee camp, targeting Palestinian resistance fighters.
Tahani Mustafa, a senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, described the assault as a “suicide mission,” characterizing it as a desperate measure to assert the PA’s capacity for hard power.
“The PA fears that if a new administration takes over in Gaza and it is not theirs, they will lose all their funding. Their greatest concern is that the political focus will shift from the West Bank to Gaza, leaving them without support,” Mustafa previously stated.
The aging leadership in Ramallah has been central to the Biden administration’s strategy for post-war governance in Gaza, yet Trump has scarcely acknowledged the PA.
In fact, he has shown minimal interest in Gaza, referring to it as “literally a demolition site right now.”
He has suggested that Jordan and Egypt should accept Palestinians from Gaza, stating, “We just clean out that whole thing.”
The Palestinian Authority (PA) squeezed between Saudi Arabia and the UAE
During his initial term, Trump diminished diplomatic ties with the PA by closing the US consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem and shutting down the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s (PLO) office in Washington, D.C. The PLO is a coalition of Palestinian factions led by the PA.
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and advisor, held a strong disdain for the PA and sought to limit any US collaboration with the authority. This tension peaked when Trump decided to cut financial aid to the PA. In March 2024, Kushner proposed the controversial idea of forcibly relocating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
A former senior US official indicated that the PA would likely struggle to gain support from the Trump administration. The situation in Gaza has allowed the UAE, a prominent critic of the PA, to advocate for a change in Palestinian leadership. The UAE has expressed readiness to deploy peacekeepers to Gaza, contingent upon reforms within the PA that exclude Abbas.
An Egyptian official noted that Abbas was “infuriated” by this proposal.
Among the Palestinian secular elite, there exists a division between Abbas, who has ruled the West Bank without elections since 2006, and Mohammed Dahlan, the former Fatah strongman in Gaza.
The individual in question resides in the UAE and serves as a representative for the ruling al-Nahyan family. Dahlan was removed from Fatah but continues to have some backing in Gaza and the occupied West Bank through the Fatah-Democratic Reform Bloc.
Saudi Arabia could play a crucial role in shaping the future of the Gaza Strip. With the financial resources necessary for reconstruction, it has adopted a more neutral stance in engaging with various Palestinian factions compared to the UAE.
Alongside the UAE and Bahrain, Saudi Arabia was initially antagonistic towards Hamas during the Arab Spring but has since adopted a more accommodating approach.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia has publicly accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, in contrast to the UAE’s foreign minister, who has hosted his Israeli counterpart. Prior to October 7, 2023, Riyadh facilitated a visit from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was later assassinated by Israel in July 2024.
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