Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh has announced the resignation of his government ruling parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Monday.

The decision, attributed to the need for change after the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, was submitted to Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, who accepted it.

The move aligns with calls from the United States and other powers for a reformed Palestinian Authority to oversee all territories post the conflict sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack.

Shtayyeh cited developments related to the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem as reasons for the resignation.

Shtayyeh revealed that he had initially presented his resignation to President Mahmud Abbas last Tuesday, emphasizing that he officially submitted it “in writing” on Monday.

In concise remarks, the 66-year-old Shtayyeh emphasized that “the next stage and its challenges require new governmental and political measures that take into account the new reality in the Gaza Strip.”

He advocated for intra-Palestinian consensus and urged for the “extension of the Authority’s rule over the entire land of Palestine.”

Responding to the resignation, President Abbas issued a decree accepting it and entrusted Shtayyeh’s government to continue “temporarily until a new government is formed,” as stated in a release from the presidency.

Israel has firmly rejected any prospective political role for the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.

However, it has suggested the possibility of local Palestinian officials playing a role in the region.

President Abbas, 88, faces widespread unpopularity in the West Bank, with mounting anger since the Gaza war commenced on October 7.

Criticism revolves around his perceived failure to strongly condemn the Israeli offensive in Gaza and address the escalating violence in the West Bank.

According to Khalil Shikaki from the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, a think tank, Abbas has been criticized for failing to protect his own people.

Shikaki pointed out, “Now he wants to be present for the day after, but he didn’t do anything during the war. Most Palestinians are harsher than I am. Abbas is going to have a government that is loyal to him. He is a one man show.

On the streets of Ramallah, Palestinians express skepticism about the potential government change.

Basil Farraj highlights the Palestinian Authority’s shortcomings, citing corruption, lack of security, and suppression of freedom and resistance as contributing factors.

Another resident, Rula Abu Daho, asserts, “Whether the government changes or not, it is appointed by American and occupation decisions,” alluding to Israel.

The divide between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has persisted since 2007, creating a complex political landscape.

The Gaza war erupted after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,160 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The retaliatory Israeli military offensive in Gaza has claimed at least 29,782 lives, with the majority being women and children, as reported by the territory’s health ministry.

Throughout the conflict, violence in the West Bank surged to levels not seen in nearly two decades. Israeli troops and settlers have been responsible for the deaths of at least 400 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, according to the health ministry in Ramallah.

There are indications that Mohammed Mustafa, an executive committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation dominated by the ruling Fatah movement, might be named to head the new cabinet, according to Palestinian media reports.

Mohammed Mustafa, who has previously served as deputy prime minister and a senior adviser to Abbas on economic affairs, emerges as a potential candidate for heading the new cabinet.

International mediators are actively engaged in discussions for a ceasefire in Gaza, and Washington, as Israel’s top ally, is exploring potential governance structures for post-war Gaza.

Palestinian analyst Ghassan Khatib sees Abbas’s resignation as a demonstration of flexibility, signaling readiness for a government of technocrats that could operate in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip post-war.

Khatib suggests that if Abbas and Hamas can reach an agreement, it would mark a significant and new phase in the internal political scene.

Prime Minister Shtayyeh defended his record, highlighting that despite significant challenges, his government managed to fulfill its responsibilities.

Speaking about the achievements during his tenure that began in 2019, he stated, “The government was able to achieve a balance between meeting the needs of our people and providing services like infrastructure.”

Shtayyeh expressed determination, affirming, “We will continue to struggle to establish a state on the lands of Palestine.”