Hamas Announces Gaza Governance Shift to National Committee Amid Israeli Skepticism

The Gaza government communication office, controlled by Hamas, announced on Monday that the Emergency Committee chairman has resigned to facilitate transferring Gaza's management to the National Committee. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi hailed the move as a "national step" and urged all Palestinian factions to support the transfer of administrative powers to the National Committee. However, Israeli officials dismissed the announcement as a meaningless spin and a stalling tactic, noting that Hamas retains control behind the scenes with technical staff continuing their roles.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al Jazeera the step was intended to remove Israeli excuses and advance the entry of a technocratic committee into Gaza, with the ball now in the mediators' court. He claimed Hamas fulfilled all commitments, including handing over all government portfolios, even security, and expressed Hamas’s disinterest in governing post-conflict. Yet local sources in Gaza revealed the move stems from Hamas’s financial exhaustion and inability to pay salaries or maintain civilian life amid ongoing conflict, making this a nominal handover to shift financial and civil responsibilities while retaining armed power.

The technocratic committee, based in Egypt since its announcement, fears entering Gaza due to Hamas’s armed presence and potential interference. Palestinian analyst Nasser Lahham viewed the step as a political earthquake, marking Hamas’s first real relinquishment of Gaza governance since 2007, aligning with Arab and international demands and upcoming Palestinian elections. Conversely, armed factions opposing Hamas in Gaza rejected the move as empty rhetoric, vowing to continue fighting Hamas regardless.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority closely monitors developments, supporting any step that returns civilian control to Gaza and enables Arab and international actors like Egypt and the UN to resume involvement. The National Committee’s formation is part of a broader U.S.-led peace plan initiated by former President Donald Trump, which includes disarming Hamas, rebuilding Gaza, and establishing an international peace council to oversee governance and security transitions. Despite initial setbacks and Israeli delays in approving the technocratic committee’s entry, the plan envisions a gradual Israeli withdrawal and phased reconstruction over ten years, with the National Committee managing civilian affairs under international supervision.