Hamas and allied Palestinian factions have reiterated that any decision on the future governance of Gaza is “an internal Palestinian matter” as the ceasefire in the territory takes effect.In a joint statement on Friday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) joined Hamas in lauding the steadfastness of Palestinians, which they said foiled Israel’s plans for mass forced displacement in Gaza.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“We renew our rejection to any foreign guardianship, and we stress that the nature of the administration of the Gaza Strip and its institutions are an internal Palestinian matter to be determined by the national component of our people directly,” the statement said.The groups added that they are working on an “urgent comprehensive national meeting” to discuss next steps after the ceasefire.“This will unify the Palestinian position, formulate a comprehensive national strategy, and rebuild our national institutions on the foundations of partnership, credibility, and transparency,” they said.It is not clear whether Fatah, the faction that dominates the Palestinian Authority, has agreed to be part of the meeting.United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan includes the creation of a new international body, dubbed the “Board of Peace”, that would be tasked with overseeing an interim authority of technocrats to govern Gaza.According to the scheme, Trump himself would chair the board, which would also include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.The first stage of the ceasefire, to which both Hamas and Israel agreed, is linked to Trump’s plan, …
