Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Palestinian Authority sent a letter to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, requesting permission for President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza.
According to Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu will need to decide whether to approve Abbas's visit to Gaza.
The Palestinian Authority announced, on Sunday, that it has been making international contacts and preparations for Abbas and other Palestinian leaders to visit the Gaza Strip. This visit aims to show solidarity with the people of Gaza, who have been enduring ongoing Israeli military actions for over 10 months, and to reaffirm the Palestinian Liberation Organization's (PLO) authority and responsibility, as well as to work towards restoring national unity, as reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
WAFA reported that the Palestinian Authority is coordinating with the United Nations, permanent members of the Security Council, Arab and Islamic countries, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, and the African Union to ensure the success of this initiative and to provide support and participation where possible. Israel has also been notified of this plan.
In a speech before the Turkish Parliament last Thursday, Abbas announced his intention to visit Gaza along with all members of the Palestinian leadership, calling for secure access to the region.