Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas on Saturday urged the removal of what he described as Israeli-imposed obstacles to advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
"We emphasize the need to lift all obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation on the implementation of the provisions related to the second phase of the agreement," Abbas said, in a speech read by his prime minister Mohammed Mustafa at an African Union summit in Ethiopia.
This included the work of a technocratic committee established to oversee the day-to-day governance of Gaza, he added.
Removal of the obstacles was needed to "ensure continuity of services, coordinate humanitarian efforts and enable a swift recovery", the president said.
Abbas accused Israel of "continuing to violate" the ceasefire agreement that took effect in October and ended Israel's two-year war that began on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinian authorities say the conflict killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 171,000 others and caused widespread destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure. The U.N. estimates reconstruction costs at approximately $70 billion.
"From the announcement of the ceasefire until today, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed (in Gaza), which threatens the durability of the truce and the full implementation of its second phase," Abbas added.
Even though the U.S.-brokered truce entered its second phase last month, Israel has continued airstrikes across the territory, killing 591 and injuring over 1,578 others.
The deal is aimed at permanently ending the war in Gaza and was endorsed in November by the United Nations.
Its second phase stipulates that Israeli forces gradually withdraw from Gaza and Palestinian group Hamas should disarm, with an international stabilization force deployed to ensure security.
Hamas has repeatedly said that disarmament is a red line, although it has indicated it could consider handing over its weapons to a future Palestinian governing authority.
The Israeli army still occupies more than half of the Gaza Strip.
Fifteen Palestinian experts on the technocratic committee, which is being overseen by a "Board of Peace" set up by U.S. President Donald Trump, are currently based in Egypt, despite a partial reopening on Feb. 2 of the Rafah border crossing, Gaza's only gateway to the outside world that does not lead to Israel.
