Palestinians need “new political measures” and one united leadership because of “new reality” which imposes the war in the Gaza Striphe said today Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Stagehafter announcing that he had submitted the resignation of the Palestinian Authority government, based in the occupied West Bank, to its president, Mahmoud Abbas.

“I announced the government’s resignation to the President on February 20 and today I am submitting it in writing,” Stageh announced from Ramallah, clarifying that this decision was made mainly “in light of the developments related to the attack on Gaza.” and the “escalation” in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Prime Minister has indicated that he is stepping down to allow for the formation of a broad consensus scheme. between Palestinians regarding political arrangements following Israel’s war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“The next stage requires new governmental and political measures which will take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks and the urgent need for intra-Palestinian consensus”he emphasized.

In addition it requires “the extension of the authority of the (Palestinian) Authority throughout the territory, Palestine”Stageh emphasized.

However still it remains for the resignation to be accepted by President Abbaswho may ask Stageh to remain head of a caretaker government until another is appointed.

Since October 7, when the war broke out in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, many Palestinians have criticized 88-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas for “weakness” against the Israeli incursions into the Gaza Strip and the increase in violence in the occupied West Bank.

In an interview last week with AFP, opposition leader Nasser al-Kindua, nephew of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, called for a “amicable divorce» with Mahmoud Abbas and for new unity in the Palestinian political leadership, including some members of Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority, established 30 years ago under the Oslo interim peace accords, exercises limited rule over parts of the occupied West Bank but lost power in Gaza after fratricidal clashes in June 2007 with Hamas.

Fatah, the faction that controls the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas have been working to reach an agreement on a national unity government, and their officials are expected to meet in Moscow on Wednesday.

A senior Hamas official said the resignation must be followed by a broader governance agreement for the Palestinians.

“The resignation of the Stageh government only makes sense if it comes within the framework of a national consensus on the arrangements for the next phase,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zohri told Reuters.

The resignation of the Palestinian Authority government also comes amid growing pressure from the US on President Mahmoud Abbas to restructure the Palestinian Authority as international efforts to end the war in Gaza and begin processes for a political structure that would rule the Palestinian enclave after the war.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and says for security reasons it will not accept Palestinian Authority rule of Gaza after the war. It erupted after an attack by Hamas-led Palestinian militants in southern Israel on October 7, which killed about 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, according to Israeli estimates.

So far nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities, and the vast majority of its residents have been forced to flee their homes.