Hamas announced on Monday that it has dissolved its de facto government in the Gaza Strip, clearing the path for a U.
S. -backed technocratic committee to take over civilian administration.
The move comes as ceasefire negotiations with Israel remain stalled.
The political shift began with the formal resignation of Mohammed al-Farra, head of the Government Emergency Committee, which had overseen daily administrative activities in the enclave.
According to Gaza's Government Media Office, ministries will now fall under the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), while Hamas maintains its security presence in areas not occupied by the Israeli military.
Ismail al-Thwabta, director general of the Hamas government media office, urged immediate international intervention to facilitate the entry of the new administrative body.
Speaking at a press conference at Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Hospital, he called on all concerned parties to accelerate steps for the NCAG to assume its national and administrative duties.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told AFP that the decision aims to eliminate any pretexts used by Israeli forces to continue military operations.
“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,” Qassem stated.
The Board of Peace, an entity overseeing the ceasefire roadmap, expressed caution, noting that its assessment depends on implementation.
“The core principle remains one authority, one law and one weapon,” the Board stated on X.
Ali Shaath, head of the 15-member NCAG, announced that his team is prepared to take over civilian government once external conditions allow.
“We affirm that the [NCAG] is fully prepared to assume its national responsibilities as soon as the necessary resources and capabilities are available,” Shaath wrote on social media.
Nickolay Mladenov, director general of the Gaza Board of Peace, emphasized that finalizing remaining provisions of the peace plan is vital for security and reconstruction.
“The sooner agreement is reached on the outstanding implementation provisions, the sooner the NCAG can assume its responsibilities, the decommissioning of weapons and the withdrawal of Israeli forces can begin, and large-scale reconstruction can commence,” Mladenov stated.
The strategic move comes ahead of scheduled meetings in Cairo, where Palestinian factions and international mediators are expected to discuss the administrative transition and the stalled 20-point ceasefire agreement.
