By: Taghreed Saadeh
In light of the rapid developments unfolding in Gaza following Hamas’s announcement of its response to Trump’s plan and amid hopes of ending the brutal war on the Strip after two years the spokesperson of the Fatah Movement in Gaza, Munther Al-Hayek, spoke in an exclusive interview with “Zaytoun News” about Fatah’s vision for the coming stage, its position on Hamas’s move, the role of the Palestinian Authority in administering Gaza, as well as the future of internal security, national reconciliation, and reconstruction after twenty years of division and suffering.
Al-Hayek stressed that “ending the war and the bloodshed is the top priority,” affirming that “the Palestinian Authority will be present in Gaza and will not be absent from it.” He called for “unity of Palestinian decision and geography, and a new phase focused on rebuilding and unifying institutions.”
The following is the full interview:
Hamas’s Step Is Positive, Though Late
Hamas has shown responsiveness to Trump’s plan and handed certain files to the Palestinian Authority under the pretext of protecting the Palestinian people. Does Fatah view this as a positive development?”
For a long time, we have been sending messages to Hamas urging it to accept previous proposals to stop the bloodshed and prevent this massacre and the horrors of doomsday. The situation was extremely difficult, and the conditions on the ground were even worse. We believe that in this critical stage when Netanyahu sought to besiege Gaza, destroy homes and institutions, and force people to flee this step, although very late, is still a positive one.
Our top priority has always been to end the war. We now hope that in the coming hours we will see a real cessation of hostilities of airstrikes, missiles, and drones exploding everywhere. Gaza is enduring a harsh siege, and both Netanyahu and his defense minister, as well as Trump, had all threatened to “open the gates of hell” on Gaza if the proposal was not accepted.
Things are now moving in a positive direction, and we hope this path continues leading to a full cessation of the war and the beginning of relief and reconstruction efforts.
We Want a Clear Political Path Leading to a Palestinian State
Where do you expect things to go next in Gaza politically and in terms of security?
We hope to see a clear political path that leads to recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
On the security level, we call for the deployment of the Palestinian National Authority and its national security forces throughout Gaza to protect citizens and their property. We know the beginning will be difficult, but we are determined that the Palestinian Authority will be the sole legitimate reference.
Our goal is to unify the Palestinian geography the West Bank and Gaza as the lands of the State of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.The political entity representing Palestinians inside the homeland is the Palestinian National Authority, while the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) remains the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
No Trust in the Occupation But Stopping the War Comes First
Do you expect Israel to abide by the terms of the agreement under Trump’s plan, or do you fear violations?
We do not trust the occupation. Israel has repeatedly violated ceasefires in past wars. We are aware it will likely breach the truce, but we are counting on President Trump’s influence over Prime Minister Netanyahu the same man who once ordered Israeli planes to turn back from the skies of Tehran, and they did.
Last night, Trump said the war on Gaza must stop, and Netanyahu issued a statement announcing the halt or at least the suspension of a ground invasion of Gaza City. That was our greatest fear, since an invasion would mean complete destruction of the city.
We have no trust in the Israelis, but what matters most now is stopping the war and the bloodshed, so Palestinians can begin rebuilding their lives after so much sacrifice.
Politically, we believe the Palestinian people themselves will lead the next stage through free elections, as President Mahmoud Abbas has stated, within a year after the war ends allowing the people to choose their leadership without foreign interference.
We have always told Hamas that from the beginning, it should have declared there would be no administrative committees or parallel authorities in Gaza, and that the Palestinian Authority alone should fill the vacuum. The delay has cost our people dearly.
Security-wise, we want to see Palestinian National Security Forces deployed to maintain order, the return of the Palestinian judiciary, and the reunification of our geography — all of which should follow the cessation of war and the start of relief and reconstruction with Arab and European support.
Fatah Will Be at the Forefront
What role can Fatah, Palestinian organizations, Arab and international bodies, and civil society play in stabilizing Gaza and protecting citizens’ rights in the coming phase?
Fatah will fully support the Palestinian Authority and the committee that will be formed to manage Gaza. It will assist in reconstruction, relief, and restoring public order.
Fatah’s role is crucial in this phase. It is preparing to unify the Palestinian political system, rebuild consensus, and restore independent national decision-making especially after a period when the Palestinian decision was influenced by external actors, resulting in Gaza’s devastation.
Fatah, the founding movement of the Palestinian national project, helped establish the state institutions alongside other factions. In the coming period, Fatah will stand at the forefront, defending the national project and citizens’ rights.
Ordinary Palestinians, as we hear from them, want the return of the Palestinian Authority and Fatah to Gaza after years of absence from governance. Yet Fatah never abandoned the people — it continued to support them through the Authority in sectors such as health, education, and agriculture, and by paying salaries and covering medical treatment abroad.
Hamas Used the Language of Force, We Need Years to Heal the Social Fabric
Recently, Hamas executed alleged collaborators without trial, leading to clashes with families. Do you fear Gaza is heading toward chaos?
We categorically reject Hamas’s executions of citizens and any form of extrajudicial killing. There must be law and justice, and even in wartime when institutions are paralyzed justice cannot be replaced by force.
Broadcasting such executions on media sends a very negative image to the international community and feeds into the Israeli narrative portraying Palestinians as undeserving of statehood or as inherently violent. Unfortunately, Israeli propaganda has succeeded in exploiting these scenes to its advantage.
The execution policies pursued by Hamas contradict Palestinian traditions and values. Justice must be pursued through proper courts and legal systems in war and in peace alike. Even if the judiciary is suspended, that does not justify summary executions, such as those carried out in certain areas, including in front of Al-Shifa Hospital.
Those young men should have been held accountable through law, not in front of the world’s cameras. These actions are recorded against the Palestinian people, damaging our image and struggle before the world.
Armed Groups Are Rejected, Law and Order Will Be Restored by the Authority
What is the fate of armed factions such as the “Abu Shabab” groups, and how will they be handled?
What happened is a natural consequence of war. Armed gangs emerged under the occupation, exploiting chaos to control certain areas sometimes even under Israeli drone cover. These groups have no future in Gaza.
Unfortunately, Hamas did not deal with citizens as partners or national brothers but through the language of power and weapons, which led to disastrous consequences.
Clashes with major families resulted from excessive use of force, creating deep social wounds and vendettas that will take years to heal. We must rebuild our social fabric and prevent internal conflict whether between clans or factions. What happened is a dark chapter in Palestinian history since the 2007 coup, and we hope Fatah can extinguish the flames of division and strengthen national unity.
The Palestinian Authority Will Not Be Absent from Gaza
Do you have a clear plan for “the day after”? Some say the Authority will stay away until reforms are made?
It’s not just a vision it’s a clear plan developed by Fatah, aligned with the Palestinian Authority’s program, and now endorsed by the Arab and Islamic summits.
The Palestinian Authority will not be absent from Gaza under any circumstances. It will govern the Strip just as it governs the West Bank.
The discussed reforms will not come at the expense of Palestinian national principles. They include adjustments to some curricula and resolving issues related to the stipends of martyrs’ families and prisoners work on these matters is already underway.
This is a transitional phase toward the Authority’s full assumption of responsibilities. The Palestinian Authority, which laid the foundations of the Palestinian state, will reunify the West Bank and Gaza as one national entity and remains the internationally recognized Palestinian political system.
National Dialogue Is Essential
How do you see Gaza’s prospects after twenty years of Hamas rule? Is national dialogue still meaningful now?
Having lived through all the years of Hamas’s rule and the previous wars, I can say its governance has had a negative impact on citizens and on both the judicial and political systems. It undermined independent Palestinian decision-making.
Now, Hamas must reassess itself, withdraw from governance, and reverse its previous policies. It has treated Fatah members harshly many were detained yet we are still ready to open a new page.
Twenty years of Hamas rule brought Gaza destruction and loss of wise national leadership. We now need a serious national dialogue, and Fatah is capable of repairing the fractures caused by the division since 2007. Fatah is a national movement that always prioritizes the higher interests of the Palestinian people above partisan considerations.
Hamas, however, must listen to reason and recognize that its repeated wars have achieved no tangible national gain not in Jerusalem, nor in Al-Aqsa. It should join the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and adhere to its political program and international legitimacy so that we can engage the world and continue our legitimate struggle.
Hamas Is Part of the People but Must Change Its Approach
How will you deal with Hamas after its pledge to relinquish power and surrender part of its weapons, as reported, amid Arab and international consensus on this condition?
Hamas remains part of the Palestinian people and social fabric. Fatah does not seek its expulsion from Gaza its members are sons and daughters of this homeland.
But Hamas must heed the national voice, respect the law and public order, and change its way of dealing with citizens and other factions. It must abandon unilateral decision-making and accept that Palestinian decisions should be made collectively.
Our people have endured catastrophe, destruction, and hunger due to individual decisions that led to hundreds of thousands of martyrs, wounded, and prisoners. The entire Strip from Rafah to Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Al-Shuja’iya, and Al-Tuffah has been destroyed. Had the war continued, Gaza City itself would have been wiped out.
Hamas must understand that it is part of this people but must commit to the PLO’s political program, which defines decisions of war and peace, so that we never return to the cycle of devastation our people have endured.
If the war stops and the borders open, what is the first thing you would do?
I hope to perform Umrah first, and then visit Egypt, God willing.
Would you consider leaving Gaza after all that has happened?
I cannot leave Gaza. My daughter and brothers are buried here, and during the war, I lost sixty martyrs from my family. How could I abandon them? They are part of my soul and memory. We will remain here and always say, Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) in all circumstances.
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