Historic decision in Gaza: Hamas dissolves its government and hands over power

Hamas has announced that it dissolved its government in Gaza and is preparing to transfer power under a U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement. The move immediately raised a central question: whether the group will also give up its weapons and security control.

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facts, not promises

The new administrative body is expected to operate with United Nations support. Hamas presented its decision as clear evidence of its commitment to rebuilding the Gaza Strip after years of war, but it did not say whether it would disarm or hand security responsibilities to an international force. The announcement came from a lower-ranking official, and it was not immediately clear whether it would produce a significant change on the ground.

The Peace Council, a new body led by President Donald Trump and mandated to govern and rebuild Gaza, said it was aware of the announcement. It said it would assess its significance through “facts, not promises.” In a statement posted on X, the council said the technocratic commission must control all weapons in Gaza, as required by the ceasefire agreement.

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All employees working to provide services are ‘state employees’ and are fully prepared to carry out their work under the authority of the National Commission for the Administration of the Gaza Strip.

Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of the Hamas-run Government Media Office, said only technical and professional staff would remain to manage the enclave’s daily affairs. “All employees working to provide services are ‘state employees’ and are fully prepared to carry out their work under the authority of the National Commission for the Administration of the Gaza Strip,” he said at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem called the decision “a positive step forward on the path to implementing the ceasefire agreement.”

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a positive step forward on the path to implementing the ceasefire agreement

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected the move, saying it had been designed to avoid disarmament. “As long as Hamas keeps its weapons, any civil government will of course operate as Hamas dictates,” he wrote on X. The Cairo-based technocratic commission is chaired by Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former Palestinian Authority official. Shaath said the body needed “a single governing authority operating under a single legal framework” and “a unified security apparatus subordinate to that authority.” Nine months after the ceasefire was signed, negotiations between Israel and Hamas remained largely deadlocked over implementation.

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As long as Hamas keeps its weapons, any civil government will of course operate as Hamas dictates.