Hamas dissolves its government in Gaza to transfer power to a UN-backed committee

Hamas dissolves its government in Gaza to transfer power to a UN-backed committee

The Hamas militant group announced Monday, July 6, 2026, that it has dissolved its government in the Gaza Strip. The group said it is preparing to transfer administrative control to a technocratic committee backed by the United Nations as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

The decision involves the resignation of the Hamas Emergency Committee. According to Ismail al-Thawabta, general director of the Hamas-run Government Media Office, only technical and professional staff will remain in their positions to manage day-to-day affairs. Al-Thawabta stated during a news conference at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah that employees providing services are state employees ready to work under the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem described the move as a positive step forward and a new step because the group will no longer be in charge of the Gaza Strip. Qassem told Agence France-Presse the decision was made to remove any pretexts for the occupation.

Governance and the Board of Peace

The NCAG is a Cairo-based body described as a transitional, technocratic, and apolitical Palestinian committee. It is chaired by Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former Palestinian Authority official. The committee was established in January under a Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict led by President Donald Trump.

Overseeing the transition is the Board of Peace, chaired by Trump. In a statement on X, the Board said it had taken note of the announcement but would judge the move by actions, not promises. The Board stressed that the technocratic committee must maintain control over all weapons in Gaza to ensure stability.

Ali Shaath acknowledged the announcement and stated the NCAG is prepared to assume responsibilities once the necessary capabilities are available. Shaath emphasized that for the committee to function, there must be a single governing authority operating under one legal framework and a unified security apparatus accountable to that authority.

Disarmament Deadlock

The announcement did not address whether Hamas will disarm or hand over security to an international force. This remains a primary point of contention, as negotiations between Israel and Hamas have remained largely deadlocked nine months after the ceasefire was signed. While the first phase of the deal is underway, the second phase—which includes disarmament and reconstruction—is stalled.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed the dissolution as a tactic to avoid disarmament. Saar wrote on X that any civilian government will operate as Hamas dictates as long as the group retains its weapons.

Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London’s School of Security Studies, cautioned against confusing the dissolution of an administrative body with the surrender of power. Krieg noted that Hamas' power rests in weapons, tunnel infrastructure, and internal security networks, none of which were addressed in the announcement.

Humanitarian Conditions and Ongoing Violence

The political transition occurs against a backdrop of extreme hardship. Due to the destruction of energy infrastructure by Israeli airstrikes, Palestinians are using cardboard slabs to fan children and soaking them with water to survive blistering heat.

Despite the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, Israeli strikes continue almost daily. On Monday, July 6, health officials reported that Israeli strikes killed at least five people: three in Khan Younis and two in an apartment in Gaza City. The Israeli military stated it targeted a Hamas operative in Gaza City and a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant in Khan Younis.

Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that killed some 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 taken hostage, Israel's offensive has killed 73,098 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry reports that women and children make up around half of these fatalities. Since the ceasefire, five Israeli soldiers have been killed in shooting attacks by militants in Gaza.

The NCAG now awaits the resources and capabilities necessary to assume authority, while the Board of Peace continues to monitor whether Hamas will relinquish military control.