Hamas governance in Gaza ends after nearly two decades

Hamas governance in Gaza entered a new phase on Monday after the Palestinian movement announced the dissolution of the governing body that had administered the Gaza Strip since 2007. The decision clears the way for a technocratic committee to assume responsibility for civilian administration in the territory.

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 after defeating its political rival Fatah and has governed the enclave ever since. A Hamas official said the movement decided to dissolve its government committee and appoint a nationally accepted figure to supervise its work until the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza formally takes over.

The move reflects Hamas’ stated position since the October 2025 ceasefire with Israel that it is prepared to withdraw from direct day to day governance. According to another Hamas official, Palestinian factions were informed of the decision during recent discussions in Cairo and welcomed it as a step toward transferring civilian administration to the new committee.

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is led by Palestinian official Ali Shaath. The body was established by the Board of Peace, an institution created by US President Donald Trump following efforts to broker the Gaza ceasefire. Despite its creation, the committee has not yet begun operating inside Gaza because it has reportedly been unable to enter the territory.

The announcement comes as negotiations over the next stage of the ceasefire remain deadlocked. The first phase focused on the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.

A proposed second phase was expected to address Hamas disarmament and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. However, the parties have not reached an agreement. Israeli forces have expanded their presence in the territory and now control nearly 70 percent of Gaza, according to information cited in the report.

Hamas has continued to insist that any discussion about surrendering its weapons must follow the establishment of a Palestinian administration capable of governing the territory.

The question of who will govern Gaza remains one of the most difficult issues in ongoing negotiations. Israel has rejected a return of Hamas to power and has also not endorsed a direct transfer of control to the Palestinian Authority based in Ramallah.

The development follows almost three years of war in Gaza. The conflict has caused extensive destruction across the territory, damaging residential areas, hospitals, schools, roads, and other civilian infrastructure.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis affecting Gaza’s population of more than two million people.