Palestinian govt tells UNSC it's ready to run Gaza Strip, West Bank

Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs, Varsen Aghabekian, told a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on Gaza that government welcomes any assistance to train Palestinian police

The Palestinian government has said it is ready to take responsibility for running the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and is committed to managing crossing points in collaboration with the European Union and Egypt.

Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs, Varsen Aghabekian, told a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on Gaza on Monday that the government welcomes any assistance to train and equip the Palestinian police and security forces.

She also called for urgent humanitarian aid.

Aghabekian expressed hope that the six-week ceasefire will lead to a final ceasefire and lay the foundations for a political track to end Israel's occupation within a year as called for by the International Court of Justice, the UN's highest tribunal.

Israel's political coordinator, Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly, told the council "this war will not end until every hostage is returned and Hamas' ability to terrorise is dismantled".

She said the Middle East stands at "a turning point" where Iran's proxies Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon have suffered "devastating losses" and its "network of terror", including the Houthis in Yemen, have faced significant setbacks.

Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly, political coordinator at Israel's UN mission in New York, said Israel has no interest in a conflict with Syria "but we will not tolerate a situation that endangers our civilians, allows Iran to re-establish itself in the region, and transfer weapons to Hezbollah".