Hamas Plans to Dissolve Gaza Government to Allow Technocrats Committee Entry

Hamas leadership is set to announce the dissolution of its de facto government in the Gaza Strip, which has been in place for nearly 20 years. This move, reported by the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, aims to clear the way for the entry of a technocrats committee into Gaza. The Palestinians claim Israel currently prevents the committee's access.

The "Government Work Monitoring Committee" currently acts as the de facto government in Gaza. According to the Trump administration's plan, this committee is to be replaced by a technocrats committee led by Ali Shatat, who has close ties to the Palestinian Authority. Shatat was selected after a lengthy vetting process and has held various governmental roles, including regional industry authority head, but has not been involved in policy making.

This development follows a recent report by Nahum Barnea in Yedioth Ahronoth revealing that the U.S. administration has abandoned the condition of Hamas disarmament as a prerequisite for Gaza's rehabilitation. Disarmament was part of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan, which paved the way for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Despite Hamas retaining its weapons, the U.S. has moved to phase two, involving gradual rehabilitation of Israeli-controlled Gaza areas, Israeli withdrawal, deployment of an international force, construction of temporary housing, and gradual population transfer, with the project expected to complete within ten years.

Hamas continues to resist disarmament, but Palestinian sources indicate new talks in Cairo involving Hamas and mediators will occur soon to narrow gaps on the ceasefire's second phase, including new wording on disarmament clauses.

The "Peace Council," established in January 2026 as part of Trump's 20-point plan, is an international supervisory body overseeing Gaza's management and rehabilitation. It includes senior global leaders and is designed to supervise the transition mechanism rather than directly govern Gaza. Under it, a Palestinian technocrats committee of 15 professionals approved by Israel was created to manage civilian affairs like infrastructure, sanitation, education, and public services without political affiliation, aiming for a professional transitional government outside Hamas control. The committee initially faced significant challenges, including lack of a permanent headquarters, infrastructure shortages, and operational fragmentation.