The Palestinian Authority must be the sole governing power in Gaza after the conflict, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has said as expectations grow that a deal to halt fighting and start returning Israeli hostages is near, Reuters reports.

Speaking at a conference in Norway, Mustafa said pressure must continue to agree on a ceasefire in Gaza and allow in more humanitarian aid for more than 2 million people facing a severe humanitarian crisis after 15 months of fighting.

Only the Palestinian Authority is legitimately placed to assume governance in the Gaza Strip after fighting ends and there should be no attempt to split Gaza off from the occupied West Bank as part of a Palestinian state, he said.

“While we are waiting for the ceasefire, it is important to stress that it won’t be acceptable for any other entity to govern the Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the state of Palestine,” he told the conference, according to the text of his speech.

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