A U.S. administration official told the "Times of Israel" today, Wednesday, that the United States credits the Palestinian Authority for the relative calm in the West Bank amid the ongoing and intense war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed to the efforts made by the Palestinian Authority security forces to combat terrorism and maintain stability in the West Bank, despite the difficult conditions exacerbated by the escalation of settler violence.

Washington's praise for Ramallah comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to reject the possibility of the Palestinian Authority returning to govern the Gaza Strip if Hamas is eliminated and its authority there undermined.

The war erupted after thousands of Hamas fighters breached the Gaza Strip barrier and launched deadly attacks on nearby communities and military sites. They have killed over 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and kidnapped about 240. Israel quickly declared its determination to overthrow the Hamas regime in Gaza and secure the release of the hostages.

Netanyahu said again this week that Israel will not allow an entity that pays salaries to convicted terrorists, incites against the Jewish state, and fails to explicitly condemn Hamas's deadly October 7 attack to control the coastal sector.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden called for "supporting and revitalizing" the Palestinian Authority to ultimately govern both Gaza and the West Bank, indicating that reforms in Ramallah are likely needed before its return to the Strip.

In recent meetings with Likud party lawmakers to ensure their continued support for the Prime Minister, Netanyahu reportedly said he must continue to lead the party because he is "the only one who will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank after the war."