Hamas yields Gaza governance to push peace plan forward
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• Says move removes ‘pretexts’ for continued Israeli attacks, clears way for technocratic body to take over
• Gaza admin body says ready to assume responsibilities, insists Palestinian territory must have single authority, one armed force
GAZA CITY: Hamas announced on Monday the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to administer the territory and pressing for progress on a US-brokered stalled peace plan.
The move marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has run Gaza since it seized control from the rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year.
Since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza last October between Hamas and Israel, the group has repeatedly said it is prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance, but the thorny issue of its disarmament remains unresolved.
Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas’ media office in Gaza, said the head of the government’s emergency committee had “decided to dissolve the committee to facilitate the administrative and governmental transition to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)”.
“Hamas has taken a new step in that it will no longer be in charge of the Gaza Strip, in order to remove any pretexts for the occupation, which continues its aggression and war of extermination,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP.
A diplomatic source who attended talks in Cairo said the announcement checks a few boxes from Hamas’ perspective.
“It shows they are moving the process forward, [and] puts the spotlight on what they portray as Israel’s failure to follow through on its commitments,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Board of Peace said the Palestinian technocratic committee must control Gaza’s arms.
The board insisted on X on “the consolidation of all weapons under the control of the NCAG as provided for in the Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2802.”
The NCAG, currently based in Cairo, was created by the Board of Peace that US President Donald Trump established when he brokered the ceasefire in October 2025.
Following the board’s statement, the NCAG said it was ready to govern Gaza.
“We affirm that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is fully prepared to assume its national responsibilities as soon as the necessary resources and capabilities are available,” Ali Shaath, head of the committee, wrote on X.
“The fundamental requirements for the committee’s success are a single authority, a single law with a clear mandate, and a single armed force under the authority of this single entity,” Shaath added.
Israel’s foreign minister said on Monday that Hamas’ dissolution of its governing body in Gaza was a “trick” to avoid disarming, as demanded by Israel and the US-brokered peace plan. “As long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will of course operate as Hamas dictates,” Gideon Saar wrote on X.
He highlighted the plan’s fundamental components, which include the disarmament of Hamas and other organisations, as well as the comprehensive demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip.
The NCAG has been based in Cairo for months, reportedly due to Israeli objections to its entry into the war-devastated territory of over 2 million people.
Mkhaimar Abusada, a political expert from Gaza, told AFP that Hamas’ move was a “symbolic gesture”. “Hamas has not agreed to disarming itself and that is still the sticking point,” he said.
Hamas and other Palestinian groups have held talks in Cairo with mediators to narrow differences, particularly over the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
The second phase, which was to involve Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, has been stalled for months. Israeli forces have actually expanded their presence in Gaza, taking control of nearly 70pc of the territory. Meanwhile, Israeli violence continues despite the truce. At least 1,072 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the truce took effect, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2026
