Hamas says it will dissolve Gaza government, but Israel warns group still seeks Hezbollah-style control

Hamas announced Monday that it was dissolving nan emergency committee overseeing Gaza's civilian government, a move that could clear nan measurement for a caller U.S.-backed management to return complete civilian affairs.

The projected body, known arsenic nan National Committee for nan Administration of Gaza (NCAG), is simply a U.S.-backed committee intended to oversee civilian affairs successful Gaza aft nan war. 

Hamas, which nan U.S. designates arsenic a overseas violent organization, has ruled Gaza since seizing power of nan territory successful 2007. The group led nan Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel that triggered nan war, and Israel has insisted Hamas tin person nary governing aliases subject domiciled successful post-war Gaza.

The announcement could truthful go a cardinal trial of President Donald Trump’s Gaza model and broader location diplomacy. A genuine transportation of powerfulness could thief beforehand nan constitution of a post-war administration. But Israel and Hamas’ critics opportunity nan group is offering to relinquish nan burdens of civilian authorities while retaining its weapons, information servants of nan state and existent power connected nan ground.

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Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem and Director of nan Government Media Office successful Gaza Ismail Al-Thawabta present a property connection pursuing nan announcement that nan caput of nan Government Emergency Committee had resigned and nan committee had been dissolved arsenic portion of nan transportation of governance successful nan Gaza Strip to nan National Gaza Administration Committee, July 6, 2026. (Jusoor News)

The Trump-led Board of Peace responded cautiously, saying its appraisal would beryllium "guided by actions, not promises." The technocratic committee, which is presently based extracurricular Gaza, has said it is prepared to statesman operating erstwhile conditions allow.

But nan announcement did not see a committedness by Hamas to disarm, nan cardinal request from Israel and a halfway constituent of Trump’s post-war framework.

Alaa Abo Naddi, a Gazan coach and governmental activist, said that nan committee Hamas is dissolving was ne'er nan root of its existent authority.

"I judge this is simply an effort by Hamas to bargain time," Abo Naddi said. "The existent mobility has ever been whether Hamas is consenting to springiness up its weapons and dismantle nan equipped groups and militias nether its control." AJS: I'd move this up to possibly 4th graph. 

He said Gaza’s civilian officials person agelong operated without independent authority and stay subordinate to Hamas’ information apparatus.

"In reality, moreover a low-ranking Hamas information serviceman tin overrule them aliases person them arrested," he said. "As agelong arsenic Hamas retains its arms, this looks for illustration an effort to sphere its power and summation much time."

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U.S. President Donald Trump holds nan signed statement of nan first shape of nan Gaza ceasefire betwixt Israel and Hamas, successful Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Hadeel Oueis, editor-in-chief of nan pan-Arab media outlet Jusoor News, likewise described nan announcement arsenic a "performative step" apt encouraged by 1 of Hamas’ location backers.

Oueis said nan move appeared intended to nonstop Trump a connection that Hamas had fulfilled its obligations and that Israel was now responsible for blocking nan adjacent shape of his plan.

"This is conscionable a show and doesn’t alteration thing connected nan crushed successful reality," Oueis told Fox News Digital. 

She noted that method labor are expected to stay successful spot during nan transition, arguing that Hamas would truthful stay nan de facto authority unless its information and subject structures were removed.

Michael Milshtein, caput of nan Palestinian Studies Forum astatine Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center, besides characterized nan dissolution arsenic mostly symbolic but said its timing could awesome a broader negotiated effort.

Milshtein said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey person been moving pinch Hamas to create a discuss that could move nan stalled post-war statement forward, peculiarly connected nan issue of disarmament.

Rather than demanding nan contiguous and complete surrender of Hamas’ weapons, he said nan mediators whitethorn beryllium pushing for a gradual and partial process that Hamas could accept.

"I measure that nan measurement Hamas took coming is portion of a move coordinated pinch Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, intended to statesman advancing nan broader arrangement," Milshtein told Fox News Digital.

He said Hamas had efficaciously thrown nan shot into Israel’s tribunal and could now reason that it had agreed to relinquish general authorities control.

HAMAS INFLUENCE LOOMS OVER GAZA ELECTIONS AS EXPERTS WARN VOTE COULD BACKFIRE

A Palestinian man collects nutrient from a humanitarian assistance distribution constituent successful Beit Lahia, bluish Gaza, connected Sunday, July 20, 2025.  (Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected that favoritism Tuesday, accusing Hamas of trying to reproduce nan exemplary utilized by Hezbollah successful Lebanon, wherever an equipped statement maintains subject power while civilian institutions grip authorities services.

"They don’t attraction if others cod nan garbage, supply municipal services and administer civilian affairs, if Hamas will stay nan ascendant subject force," Sa’ar said during a gathering pinch German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

Sa’ar said Israel would proceed to insist connected nan "disarmament of Hamas and all different violent organizations successful nan Gaza Strip, and its afloat demilitarization."

Wadephul backed that position, saying Hamas must relinquish some its weapons and its de facto power of Gaza.

The United Nations besides offered a cautiously affirmative response.

 U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said nan statement had taken statement of Hamas’ announcement concerning nan dissolution of nan Government Emergency Committee and nan projected transportation of administrative responsibilities to nan National Committee for nan Administration of Gaza.

"We invited immoderate measurement that contributes to nan implementation of nan ceasefire statement and advances nan objectives reflected successful applicable Security Council resolutions, including nan afloat implementation of nan ceasefire, nan protection of civilians, and nan unhindered proviso of humanitarian aid," Dujarric said.

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Hamas terrorists guidelines defender connected nan time of nan handover of hostages held successful Gaza since nan deadly October 7 2023 attack, arsenic portion of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners switch woody betwixt Hamas and Israel, successful Rafah successful nan confederate Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025. (Hatem Khaled/Reuters)

He added that nan U.N. continued to support "efforts toward unified Palestinian governance nether nan Palestinian Authority."

Milshtein said nan existent trial would beryllium whether nan National Committee for nan Administration of Gaza is allowed to participate Gaza, run independently and workout genuine authority, while Hamas gives up not only its civilian domiciled but besides its information and subject control.