Hamas has announced the dissolution of the body that has governed Gaza for nearly two decades, a move that paves the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule in the war-ravaged, besieged territory.
A statement released by Gaza’s Government Media Office disclosed that Mohammed al-Farra, Head of the government’s emergency committee, “has decided to submit his official resignation from his position and to announce the dissolution of the Government Emergency Committee, as a demonstration of the seriousness of these measures, in implementation of the agreed arrangements, and to facilitate the administrative transition process.”
The move marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has governed Gaza since its fighters seized control from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 after Hamas won legislative elections the previous year.
Hamas did not say whether it planned to take the crucial step of disarming or handing over security to an international force, but described its decision as evidence of its commitment to Gaza’s reconstruction after years of war.
Since a United States-brokered “ceasefire” with Israel took effect in Gaza last October, the group has repeatedly said it is prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance, but the question of its disarmament remains unresolved.
At a news conference today, Ismail al-Thawabta, General Director of the Hamas-run Government Media Office, said “only technical and professional staff” would remain in their positions to run the Palestinian enclave’s day-to-day affairs.
“All employees working in service provision are ‘state employees’ and are fully prepared to work under the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.”
Ismail al-Thawabta
Hamas Spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that the group wished for the swift entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a body which is tasked with overseeing the future administration of Gaza under a US-backed plan to end Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory.
“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.”
“We hope for the swift entry of the [NCAG], and Hamas affirms its readiness to hand over governmental responsibilities to the committee to ensure its success.”
Hazem Qassem
NCAG , which is based in Cairo, is chaired by Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former official with the Palestinian Authority. It has a mandate to restore essential services and oversee civilian affairs under the supervision of the U.N. and the Board of Peace.
The committee of technocrats has remained based outside Gaza for months, reportedly due to Israeli objections to its entry into the besieged enclave. Israel has ruled out allowing Hamas to rule the enclave but has also rejected a direct takeover by the Palestinian Authority, which controls the occupied West Bank, at this stage.
It was unclear if Hamas’ decision, announced by a lower-level official, would lead to any meaningful change on the ground. The Board of Peace, the new entity led by President Donald Trump with the mandate of governing and rebuilding Gaza, said that it was aware of the Hamas announcement but would assess the impact based on “actions, not promises.”
The board stressed in a statement on X that the technocratic committee must control all weapons in Gaza, as laid out in the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas’ Announcement Welcomed
The head of the NCAG welcomed Hamas’s announcement. “We affirm that the [NCAG] 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 social media.
Nickolay Mladenov, the High Representative overseeing the US-founded Board of Peace for Gaza, which would supervise the NCAG’s work, said that the decision “underscores the importance of bringing the roadmap discussions to a successful conclusion.”
He added that it is the “bridge between declarations and implementation.” Mladenov noted that once an agreement is reached on the remaining implementation provisions, the NCAG will be able to assume its responsibilities.
However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the move, saying that it was designed to avoid disarmament. “As long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will of course operate as Hamas dictates,” he wrote on X.
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