Hamas Relinquishes Control of Gaza Administration

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Monday declared the disbandment of the administrative body that has overseen the Gaza Strip for almost two decades. This move is designed to pave the way for a technocratic committee to take charge of civilian governance within the territory.

This significant political shift comes after Hamas fighters seized control of Gaza from their rival, Fatah, in 2007, following their victory in legislative elections held the previous year. Since a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect in Gaza last October, the group has consistently indicated its readiness to step back from daily governance duties. However, the contentious issue of its disarmament remains unresolved.

Ismail al-Thawabta, who heads Hamas’ government media office, informed AFP that “The head of the government’s emergency committee, Mohammed al-Farra, has officially submitted his resignation.” He added, “He has also decided to dissolve the committee to facilitate the administrative and governmental transition to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).”

The NCAG was established by the Board of Peace, an entity created by US President Donald Trump when he mediated the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in October 2025. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP that “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 agression and war of extermination.” Qassem further expressed hope for the swift entry of the NCAG, stating, “Hamas affirms its readiness to hand over governmental responsibilities to the commmittee to ensure its success.”

Earlier, a Hamas official had disclosed to AFP that the group had already informed other Palestinian factions of its decision during a recent meeting in Cairo. The official noted, “The factions welcomed Hamas’s decision, describing it as a serious step towards enabling the National Committee to take up its governing role.”

With the dissolution of the Hamas body, the path is now clear for the NCAG, led by Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath, to assume administrative duties in Gaza. The NCAG has reportedly been based outside Gaza for several months, allegedly due to Israeli objections regarding its entry into the war-ravaged territory.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions have engaged in multiple rounds of discussions with mediators in Cairo to bridge their differences, particularly concerning the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The initial phase involved the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. However, the transition to the second phase, which was intended to include Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, has been stalled for months. In recent times, Israeli forces have actually expanded their presence, now controlling nearly 70 percent of the territory.

Meanwhile, Hamas maintains that it will only consider handing over any part of its arsenal after a Palestinian administration is established. The question of Gaza’s post-war governance continues to be a major point of contention in negotiations for implementing phase two. Israel rejects any return of Hamas to power, but at this stage, it also opposes a direct takeover by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.