RAMALLAH, April 19, 2026 (WAFA) – Minister of Finance and Planning Estephan Salameh stressed the need to accelerate the launch of the transitional phase in the Gaza Strip, in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) issued on November 17, 2025, paving the way for the State of Palestine to assume full responsibilities in the territory after the end of temporary arrangements and enabling the start of early recovery and reconstruction without delay.
This came during his participation via video in a workshop convened by German Minister for Development and International Cooperation Reem Alabali Radovan and Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships Éléonore Caroit, with the participation of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atty, and representatives from Norway, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, the World Bank, and the United Nations. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings organized by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington.
Salameh said that the first six months since the announcement of the ceasefire agreement have not brought any change in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, noting that humanitarian aid remains scarce and recovery efforts have not yet begun, increasing risks and deepening the suffering of civilians, particularly women, children, the elderly, and the sick.
Participants warned that the current situation in Gaza risks a return to square one, threatening the sustainability of the ceasefire. They emphasized that a national committee for Gaza administration would take over governance on a temporary basis, followed by the return of the Palestinian Authority after a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
The participants also stressed the importance of strengthening the Palestinian Authority to enable it to carry out its responsibilities in East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank, calling in particular for the full release of Palestinian tax revenues withheld by Israel for nearly a year, in addition to previous deductions that have accumulated to more than 15 billion shekels.
M.N
