Hamas dissolves its government in Gaza to transfer power to UN-backed committee
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- Hamas dissolved its Gaza government on July 6, 2026, preparing to transfer civilian power to the Cairo-based National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, chaired by Gaza-born engineer and former Palestinian Authority official Ali Shaath.
- Hamas did not commit to disarming or handing security to an international force; the source notes the announcement was made by a lower-level official and that it was unclear whether the move would lead to any meaningful change on the ground.
- The Board of Peace, the new Trump-led entity governing and rebuilding Gaza, said it would judge the announcement by "actions, not promises" and stressed that the technocratic committee must control all weapons in Gaza per the ceasefire agreement.
- Israel rejected the announcement as "a spin that has no significance," with an unnamed official noting that all Hamas members remain in their positions.
- Nine months after the October 10 ceasefire, Phase 2 talks remain deadlocked on Hamas disarmament and Gaza reconstruction, with Hamas insisting on completing Phase 1 before discussing its weapons.
- The source documents ongoing violence alongside the political move: Israeli strikes killed at least five people Monday — three in Khan Younis and two in Gaza City — and five Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants since the ceasefire took effect.
Why it matters: The Board of Peace conditioned acceptance on the committee controlling all Gaza weapons — a demand Hamas did not address. Israel dismissed the move as spin while Hamas personnel retain their posts, suggesting the dissolution is administrative reshuffling rather than a substantive transfer of authority nine months into a deadlocked ceasefire.
