Hamas announced on Monday the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades. This move marks a significant political shift for the movement, which has run the territory since its fighters seized control from the rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007. The decision paves the way for a Palestinian technocratic committee to take over civilian rule and manage the enclave's day-to-day governance.
The technocratic committee is U.S.-backed and backed by President Donald Trump, with a mission to ensure Palestinian representation in institutions. Hamas officials confirmed the move was agreed to earlier this year in a peace deal with Israel. The movement is signaling its readiness to transfer authority as it presses Israel to honor other parts of a stalled U.S.-backed peace plan.
However, Israel is blocking the committee's entry and demanding the complete disarmament of the Islamist group. This occurs as the enclave faces a deepening humanitarian crisis and the area remains in ruins more than 2-1/2 years after the latest Gaza conflict was triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023, raids on Israel.
It remains unclear if the move, which was announced by a lower-level official, will lead to any meaningful change on the ground. Some view the announcement as a mostly symbolic statement that included no mention of disarmament.