Ali Shaath

Ali Shaath is a Palestinian technocrat leader backed by the US to temporarily administer Gaza. He is newsworthy due to his role in the planned reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a key element of US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan. Shaath announced the reopening, which follows a nearly two-year closure. His position and actions are significant because they are part of a broader US initiative, including Trump's "Board of Peace," aimed at establishing a unified Palestinian-run Gaza. However, Israel aims to control the flow of people entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Shaath's role is also notable as it represents a rebuff to Israeli extremists who oppose a unified Palestinian Gaza.