Forming Palestinian government is a Palestinian affair, US has 'nothing to do with it', says Hamas

The comments, made by senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan, were in response to comments from US officials that the only way forward in a post-war Gaza is to have a revitalised Palestinian Authority.

"Palestinian people are the masters of their decisions on their land, and are capable of managing all their affairs, in defence of themselves, their land, their rights, and their sanctities," Hamdan said.

"Regarding the talk about America and western countries’ efforts to form a Palestinian government, we reiterate that forming a Palestinian government and managing the Palestinian situation is a national Palestinian matter," he added.

"We manage it with our brothers and sisters from the Palestinian forces and factions, and America or others have nothing to do with it."