Hamas dissolves Gaza governing body

Hamas said on 6 July that it is dissolving the emergency committee that has administered the Gaza Strip for years, a move it framed as clearing the way for a new National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). According to Euronews, the committee was headed by Mohammed al-Farra, who formally submitted his resignation. Hamas said it is ready to hand day-to-day governmental responsibilities to the NCAG, a technocratic body led by Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath.

The announcement lands in a ceasefire landscape that has been stuck in place rather than moving forward. Euronews reports that since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Hamas has repeatedly indicated it could step back from governance, while the unresolved question has been disarmament. Phase one of the ceasefire centred on exchanging the last Israeli hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians detained by Israel; phase two was meant to pair Hamas disarmament with a gradual Israeli withdrawal. Months later, Euronews says the transition remains stalled, and Israeli forces have expanded their presence, taking control of nearly 70% of the territory.

The proposed handover also exposes how much of Gaza’s “governance” is now a matter of permissions and access rather than formal titles. The NCAG was created by a Board of Peace established by US President Donald Trump when he brokered the ceasefire, but Euronews notes the committee has remained based outside Gaza for months, reportedly because Israel objects to it entering the enclave. Hamas can dissolve a committee in Gaza, but it cannot guarantee that its replacement can physically arrive, staff ministries, or run border crossings.

That leaves the core bargaining chip intact: armed capacity. Hamas demands a functioning Palestinian administration before it considers handing over any part of its arsenal, Euronews reports, while Israel rejects any return of Hamas to power and also rejects a direct takeover by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority at this stage. The result is a structure where the visible layer—schools, clinics, municipal services—can be reassigned to technocrats, while the decisive layer—security, coercion, and control of territory—remains contested.

Hamas said it is stepping aside to “remove pretexts” for continued occupation, according to Euronews. The NCAG is still outside Gaza, and Israeli troops still control most of the strip.