JERUSALEM, September 18, 2017 (WAFA) - United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov welcomed on Sunday the decision by Hamas to dissolve the administrative committee that operated as a government in the besieged Gaza Strip since March.

He also welcomed the decision to allow Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah’s National Consensus government to assume its responsibilities in Gaza.

Mladenov, who urged all parties to “seize this opportunity to restore unity and open a new page for the Palestinian people,” said “the United Nations stands ready to assist all efforts in this respect.”

He said that the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, most notably the crippling electricity crisis, should be addressed as a priority.

Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since its 2007 coup against the Palestinian Authority, announced on Sunday following consultations in Egypt that it has decided to dissolve its administrative committee and to allow the Palestinian government to take over rule in Gaza in preparation for holding national elections.

The Palestinian government and Fatah movement welcomed this step and said that further talks will be held to implement it.

M.K.