Palestinian PM urges intensified int'l pressure to implement Gaza ceasefire

RAMALLAH: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa on Monday called for intensified international efforts to pressure Israel to implement the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

During a meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, Mustafa stressed the need to scale up the entry of humanitarian aid and supplies for relief, recovery and temporary shelter, according to a statement issued by his office.

He also urged the effective implementation of the ceasefire, noting that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October 2025.

Regarding the situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Mustafa warned against Israel's ongoing plans for "annexation and settlement expansion," as well as continued raids, checkpoints, settler attacks and the withholding of Palestinian tax revenues.

Mustafa underscored the need to push for the implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions on the Palestinian issue to preserve the unity of Palestinian territories, achieve an independent state, and enable the government to fulfill its responsibilities toward Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

For her part, Valtonen reaffirmed Finland's support for efforts to end the war in Gaza, advance recovery and reconstruction, and uphold international resolutions aimed at consolidating the two-state solution and achieving regional stability, the statement said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned the Israeli government's decision to resume land registration procedures in Area C of the occupied West Bank, following a cabinet decision in May 2025, his spokesperson said in a statement.

The decision on Sunday "could lead to the dispossession of Palestinians of their property and risks expanding Israeli control over land in the area," said a statement issued by spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Such measures, including Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, "are not only destabilizing but, as recalled by the International Court of Justice, unlawful," it added.

In mid-January, the United States announced the launch of the second phase of the ceasefire, which includes a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, the start of reconstruction efforts and the establishment of a transitional governing body in the enclave.