Hamas has announced it will end nearly 20 years of civilian governance in Gaza, signifying a major political shift as delicate ceasefire discussions are underway.
The organization stated it has dismantled the governing body that has controlled the territory since 2007. This decision paves the way for a US-endorsed Palestinian technocratic committee to assume the administration of civilian matters as part of a ceasefire plan negotiated by US President Donald Trump.
However, analysts speaking to SBS News highlighted that this move does not address the central challenge to achieving a ceasefire. Hamas remains unwilling to disarm without Israel halting its military actions.
From Israel’s perspective, a lasting agreement hinges on the complete disarmament of Hamas and the total demilitarization of Gaza.
As Gaza continues to suffer from ongoing violence and disruption, Hamas’ promises may provide limited reassurance to the civilians who continue to hope for peace.
What happens now?
Hamas in its entirety is listed as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and seven other countries, including Australia. But the UN Assembly rejected classifying Hamas as a terrorist group in a 2018 vote.
Hamas has governed Gaza since it seized control from rival Palestinian faction Fatah in 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year.
The group said on Monday it had dissolved its Government Emergency Committee to facilitate the transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 15-member technocratic body based in Cairo.
Hamas said government ministries and civil servants would remain in place. It also said it would continue to oversee security and policing in parts of Gaza still under its control.
NCAG chair Ali Shaath said the committee was ready to assume its responsibilities once the necessary resources and conditions were in place. He said its success depended on “one authority, one law and one weapon” under a single governing body.
The Trump-appointed Board of Peace, which oversees the post-war plan, said it would judge progress by “actions, not promises”.
It also reiterated that all weapons must eventually come under NCAG control in line with the Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.
But some analysts have questioned whether the announcement would lead to meaningful change.
What does this mean for Gaza?
Mkhaimar Abusada, a political expert from Gaza, told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency that Hamas’ move was a “symbolic gesture”.
He explained that whether Hamas steps aside is less important to the peace process than the question of the group retaining its weapons.
“Hamas has not agreed to disarming itself, and that is still the sticking point,” he said.
Ian Parmeter, a Middle East expert at the ANU Centre of Arab and Islamic Studies, said there’s “little to no chance” of Hamas disarming, undermining efforts for peace and a gradual rebuild of the war-torn region.
“Israel is determined that nothing will happen in terms of reconstruction of Gaza as a whole until Hamas gives up its weapons,” he said.
Even if Hamas does take large steps at disarming soon, Israel’s response will be overshadowed by its upcoming election, which will be front of mind for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Netanyahu will want to go to that election showing that he is in complete security control of Israel’s borders,” Parmeter said.
“I think it’s most unlikely that anything substantial is going to happen in Gaza in the lead-up, particularly since the election will be held around about the third anniversary of the attacks of October the 7th, 2023, when some 1,200 people were killed.”
In the meantime, Palestinians are living in “appalling conditions”, Parmeter said, with many of the some two million people there living in temporary shelters and tents.
Violence continues
The second phase of the ceasefire, which includes Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal, has been stalled for months.
Israeli forces have instead expanded their presence and effectively now control more than 60 per cent of Gaza as violence continues across the region despite the October ceasefire.
An independent UN commission alleges Israeli forces have also continued to deliberately target Palestinian children during the ceasefire alongside the targeting of healthcare and education facilities and restricting the flow of aid. Israel rejected the report’s findings, calling it “propaganda”.
For some residents in Gaza City, the recent announcement offers little hope, with one local describing Hamas’ pledge as “empty words”.
“Hamas remains in its place in Gaza and controls everything: the crossings, the ministries, the security. They only change faces, but they insist on remaining in power at any cost, even if the entire population dies,” Hussam Majed told AFP.
Health officials said Israeli strikes on Monday killed five Palestinians, including a couple in Gaza City.
The Israeli military said one strike killed Hamas commander Fadi Ashour Daghmash and said its operations since the ceasefire have targeted militant threats. Hamas has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and failing to carry out agreed withdrawals.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 1,072 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect. The Israeli military says five soldiers and one civilian contractor have also been killed during the same period.
— With additional reporting by Agence France-Presse.