White House: Palestinian Authority is only ‘game in town’

White House aide Jonathan Finer said the Palestinian Authority is the only "institutionalised Palestinian political entity" that can govern Gaza.

Finer also said on Thursday that the US had not given Israel a “final deadline” to wrap up major combat operations in Gaza.

“If war were to stop today, Hamas would continue to pose a threat to Israel, which is why the US is not asking Israel to stop,” deputy national security adviser Finer told the Aspen Security Forum. Commenting on Israel’s expansion of the bombardment of southern Gaza, he said the US believes there are “legitimate targets” left in the south.

The aide also said that the US believes Iran is behind the planning, execution and authorisation of Houthi attacks on ships and Israel.