A Palestinian businessman being considered as the governor of Gaza said the strip must have a neutral, civilian government once the devastating war is over.
That civilian transitional rule could last up to a year, Samir Hulileh told The National.
"This is a transitional phase which might last for six months or a year and it’s not going to be long," he said.
"The question of whether I can put the conditions in place to make this project succeed is something I'm working on."
The broader plan for Gaza, adopted by the Arab League during a summit in Cairo in March, is for Hamas to step aside and a technocratic committee to take over for six months. Mr Hulileh said the proposal for him to lead Gaza was first raised in July last year, during the US administration of president Joe Biden.
“They wanted someone who does not represent a specific party or interests, and has previous governance experience,” said Mr Hulileh, who was previously cabinet secretary of the Palestinian Authority and held roles in the Economy Ministry.
The now-retired official said his willingness to take on the role is based on his feeling of empathy towards the misery in Gaza and his inability to "remain quiet" over the unfolding situation.
More than 61,700 people have been killed by Israeli fire and hunger-related deaths due to Israel's siege reached 235 this week, including 106 children.
Most difficult part
Following a report by Israeli outlet Ynet on Mr Hulileh's potential role, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said a governor has yet to be appointed.
"The only entity authorised to administer the Gaza Strip is the state of Palestine, represented by the government or its agreed-on administrative committee, headed by a government minister," Wafa reported, citing a source in the Palestinian Authority.
"They have been hiding for two years," Mr Hulileh said in response to the question of why he had been approached instead of the Palestinian government.
The main issues that stand in the way of a civilian government now are political and security-related, he said.
Conditions for him to implement his rule include a comprehensive ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The matter, currently being discussed in Egypt in co-operation with Qatar and the US, is being complicated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterating plans to reoccupy Gaza and "allowing" Palestinians to leave the enclave.
The enclave has become uninhabitable, with the majority of it destroyed, while bodies remain unreachable by emergency and rescue crews, and tens of thousands of Palestinians need medical assistance.
Mr Hulileh said when the environment is ripe, the real work can begin and in the meantime he is looking at plans for the day-after scenario.
But that moment may be further delayed, with US President Donald Trump casting doubt on the prospect of any deal to end the war, saying he did not believe Hamas would release Israeli hostages unless the situation in Gaza changed.
Still, Mr Hulileh said he is prepared for the challenges ahead. "The beginning will be the most difficult part."
The first six months are likely to focus on providing the 2.2 million Palestinians of Gaza with sufficient food, water and shelter, he added, after more than 80 per cent of the strip has been destroyed, and Israeli shelling and starvation continue to claim lives every day.
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- Choose cars with GCC specifications
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- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
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- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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