Hamas dissolves its government in Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

The Hamas militant group on Monday announced it was dissolving its government in Gaza and preparing to hand over power to a UN-backed technical committee as part of a US-brokered ceasefire deal.

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. It was unclear if the move, announced by a lower-level official, would lead to any meaningful change on the ground.

UN-backed transition begins

The Board of Peace, the new entity led by President Donald Trump with the mandate of governing and rebuilding Gaza, said it was aware of the Hamas announcement but said it 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.

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At a news conference Monday, 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,” al-Thawabta said during a news conference in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem called it “a positive step forward on the path to implement the ceasefire deal.” Israel dismissed the announcement as irrelevant. “The alleged resignation of the Hamas government, where all of the Hamas members stay in their positions, is a spin that has no significance,” an Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The committee of technocrats, 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 UN and Board of Peace.

Deadlock over Gaza future

In a statement on X, Shaath acknowledged the Hamas announcement Monday and said that in order for the committee to function effectively, there must be “a single governing authority operating under one legal framework” and “a unified security apparatus accountable to that authority.” Nine months after the ceasefire was signed, negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain largely deadlocked over the implementation of its second phase, including the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of Gaza.

Hamas has insisted on implementing the first phase before moving to discuss its weapons.

The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants that sparked the war killed some 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed 73,098 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

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The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.

Israeli strikes have lessened considerably since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, but they continue almost daily. Israel's military says it targets Hamas and other militants, often asserting they were planning attacks.

(With agency inputs)