Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa announced today, Tuesday, the formation of the National Team for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, led by the Ministry of Planning, with the participation of relevant ministries and agencies, to complete the efforts that the government began some time ago, in cooperation with the private sector and international partners.

The Prime Minister explained, at the beginning of the government session held today, Tuesday, in the city of Ramallah, that the national team will prepare to restore basic services to citizens in Gaza, and develop detailed plans to rebuild the infrastructure, including suitable housing, and prepare to launch the economic recovery program in the sector.

He pointed out that the government did everything it could during the past year to alleviate the suffering of our people and support their steadfastness in all places where they are located, especially our people in the Gaza Strip, explaining that it continued to provide basic services, to the extent permitted by the security conditions, including health services, educational services, municipal services, and the entry of as much fuel as possible to operate water wells and wastewater pumps, and it also continued to provide operating expenses and salaries to finance various operations in the Strip, which amount to (275) million shekels per month (equivalent to 3.3 billion shekels annually).

He stressed that the government continues to provide social, food and non-food assistance to more than 400,000 families of our people in the Strip, in addition to cash assistance to about 210,000 families worth about 233 million shekels through the Ministry of Social Development, in coordination and cooperation with humanitarian and international organizations.

In this regard, the Prime Minister thanked all parties that extended a helping hand to our people in the Gaza Strip, stressing to our people that the government will continue, under the direction of President Mahmoud Abbas, to work to stop the aggression and provide everything possible to strengthen their steadfastness.

He pointed out that the government is also working in cooperation with all relevant parties to prepare for the implementation of the program announced by the President and the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the Gaza Strip in the next phase, which is represented by seeking a ceasefire, ending the Israeli occupation of the Strip, unifying national institutions in Gaza and the West Bank, and providing the necessary services to our people until reconstruction, all within a clear political vision that aims to end the occupation and embody the establishment of a unified, independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.

He pointed out that after a full year had passed since the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, it can be said that it was the bloodiest and most destructive year for our people, as Israel reoccupied the Gaza Strip completely, tightly closed all the crossings that connect the Strip to the world, destroyed most of the Strip’s infrastructure, brutally killed and wounded more than one hundred and fifty thousand citizens, displaced about two million of our people in the Strip, and deprived more than six hundred thousand male and female students from attending their schools.

He stressed that the goal of the occupation plan in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, is to establish separate systems in each part of it, undermine the institutions of the Palestinian state, and displace our people there by making it unlivable; this is accompanied by the escalating crimes of the occupation of killing, starvation, colonization, and attacks on holy sites; all of this in order to facilitate the reoccupation of the entire territory of the State of Palestine, and prevent the achievement of the independent Palestinian state.

In this regard, he stressed that our Palestinian people and their leadership, headed by Mr. President, are determined to thwart the occupation's plans and to complete our struggle in order to embody the independent state on the ground, despite Israel's arrogance and the magnitude of the challenges we face.

He pointed out that despite the hostile or hesitant positions of some international parties, there is broad official and popular international support for the rights of our people, and this is evident in the recognition of the State of Palestine by the majority of the world’s countries, and the majority of countries voting in favor of issuing the resolution submitted by the State of Palestine in the United Nations General Assembly, to adopt the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and what followed after that of launching the international coalition, to establish an independent and fully sovereign State of Palestine.

He pointed out that all these important indicators confirm the success of the approach adopted by the Palestinian leadership in managing affairs, in these extremely complex circumstances.

In its session, the government saluted the steadfastness of our struggling people everywhere, and thanked all the brothers and friends who supported its efforts in this area.

The Prime Minister also thanked Mr. President, the members of the Executive Committee of the organization, and all the factions and forces of our people. We also commend the unions, syndicates, the private sector, civil society, and our civil and security apparatuses for what they are doing to serve our people in these difficult circumstances, and for their support of the government’s efforts in this area.

He stressed that with our unity and standing as one to uphold the interests of our people in dignity, justice, freedom and independence, we will overcome difficulties and strengthen the steadfastness of our people in confronting the occupation that seeks to destroy the work of our national institutions and besiege us financially.

In this regard, he appreciated the patience and steadfastness of our people in these difficult circumstances, stressing the continuation of diligent work to provide services to our people, the return of the regular educational process and health services, and the improvement of the percentage of salaries paid, despite the continued Israeli deductions from the clearing funds, and the complex security and political circumstances.

He stressed that the government will continue ambitious development and reform steps to alleviate financial and economic burdens and reduce the general budget deficit, according to a well-studied plan, within the framework of the national strategy to get rid of the political and economic blackmail of the occupation.

The Prime Minister concluded the government session by saying: I am confident that our people will rise again. We have gone through various tragedies, and our people have risen after every ordeal, picking up their wounds, carrying their pain, preserving their hope, determined to live, freedom, and independence.