GAZA: Hamas announced on Monday that it has dissolved the body responsible for governing the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic administration to assume civilian governance in the war-ravaged territory.
The decision marks a major political shift for Hamas, which has administered Gaza since taking control from the rival Fatah movement in 2007 after winning Palestinian legislative elections a year earlier.
Since the Gaza ceasefire with Israel took effect in October, Hamas has repeatedly expressed its willingness to relinquish day-to-day governance. However, negotiations remain deadlocked over the group’s disarmament.
Mohammed al-Farra, head of the government’s emergency committee, formally submitted his resignation, according to Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas’ government media office.
“The emergency committee has been dissolved to facilitate the administrative and governmental transition to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG),” al-Thawabta said.
The NCAG was established by the Board of Peace created by US President Donald Trump after he brokered the Hamas-Israel ceasefire in October 2025. The committee is led by Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the group had decided to step aside from governing Gaza to remove what he described as “pretexts” used by Israel to continue military operations.
“Hamas is fully prepared to transfer governmental responsibilities to the National Committee to ensure the success of the transition,” Qassem said.
A Hamas official said Palestinian factions were informed of the decision during recent talks in Cairo, where the move was welcomed as an important step toward enabling the NCAG to assume its governing role.
Despite the announcement, the committee has remained outside Gaza for months due to reported Israeli objections to its entry into the territory.
Palestinian factions have held several rounds of negotiations in Cairo with international mediators to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. While the first phase secured the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the next phase—which envisages Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal—has remained stalled.
Israeli forces have instead expanded their presence in Gaza, controlling more than 80 percent of the territory as of July 2.
Hamas has insisted that a Palestinian civilian administration must first be established before it considers surrendering any part of its military arsenal.
The future governance of Gaza remains one of the most contentious issues in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Israel continues to reject both a return of Hamas to power and an immediate transfer of authority to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.
