GAZA – Palestinian factions would not give up their weapons unless Israel fully adheres to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, senior Hamas official said Thursday.
Mardawi said in a press conference that “any progress on the weapons issue is contingent upon the occupation’s withdrawal and its commitment to the signed agreements.”
He added that the issue of the factions’ weapons is linked to the political goals of the Palestinian people, reaffirming his movement’s commitment to the ceasefire, which came into effect on Oct 10, 2025.
Mardawi noted that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state would place weapons in the hands of a legitimate authority within a clear political framework that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
He added that mutual commitment to agreements and their implementation would pave the way for a comprehensive political process leading to lasting and stable solutions.
The latest initially focused on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid to Gaza. A proposed second phase of the peace plan calls for a full Israeli military withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the start of reconstruction in the enclave under a transitional governing authority.
Financial situation
Palestinian Finance and Planning Minister Estephan Anton Salameh warned on Thursday that the ‘s (PA) financial situation has become “extremely critical,” threatening the continued provision of basic services, as Israel has withheld Palestinian tax revenues for the 10th consecutive month.
“2026 will be the most financially difficult year in the history of the Palestinian Authority,” Salameh said at a press conference held in Ramallah in the .
He said that for 10 consecutive months, Israel has continued to withhold tax revenues belonging to the PA, noting that it is currently withholding approximately $4.4 billion in Palestinian funds.
“There is no alternative to the clearance revenues, which constitute about 70 percent of Palestinian public revenues and are being stolen by Israel,” Salameh said.
He said that government institutions are operating “at a tenth of the minimum level,” including vital sectors such as health, education, and security.
“We need one billion shekels monthly to operate even at this low level, and austerity is no longer an option, but a necessity,” he noted.
Salameh noted that the PA’s public debt reached approximately $15.426 billion by the end of 2025.
“This debt is not the result of mismanagement of public funds, but rather of the theft of our money by Israel,” he added, accusing the Israeli government of “playing with fire and crossing all red lines.”
Since November 2021, the PA has been paying partial salaries, ranging from 50 to 90 percent, to public sector employees due to recurring financial crises.
Under existing arrangements, Israel collects customs duties and value-added taxes on goods imported into Palestinian territories and transfers the funds to the PA on a monthly basis.
Security tensions in the West Bank have intensified since the outbreak of the in October 2023, further deepening the PA’s financial crisis and limiting its ability to pay salaries and deliver essential public services.
Aid trucks
Egypt has some 5,400 humanitarian aid trucks on its side of the Rafah border crossing ready to enter the Gaza Strip, and is working to increase the daily entry capacity, local media reported Thursday, citing North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer.
Megawer made the remarks during a visit to the Egyptian side of the crossing by delegations from Sweden and Finland, where they reviewed Cairo’s ongoing logistical and humanitarian efforts to support Gaza, according to Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV.
He noted that the trucks are fully prepared to enter Gaza’s logistical zones once existing obstacles are resolved, adding that coordination with international partners is ongoing to ensure sustained aid delivery.
The Palestinian side of the crossing officially resumed operations earlier this month for the first time since May 2024, as part of the implementation of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Since its reopening, Egypt has been receiving groups of wounded and sick Palestinians and facilitating the return of recovered Gazans.