Hamas Dissolves Its Gaza Government After Nearly Two Decades in Power

Hamas has dissolved the administrative body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, the group announced on Monday, clearing the way for a Palestinian technocratic committee to assume civilian rule in the war-battered enclave.

The decision marks a significant political shift by the militant group, which has run Gaza since its fighters seized control from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007. The move comes as the group faces mounting pressure over post-war governance and reconstruction, with key disputes over its disarmament and future role remaining unresolved.

"The movement has decided to dissolve the Gaza government committee and to appoint a nationally accepted figure to oversee the committee's work until the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza formally assumes its responsibilities," a Hamas official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk publicly on the matter.

Shift in Gaza's Governance

Hamas's media office in Gaza said it would hold "an important press conference" later on Monday. A second Hamas official said the group had already informed other Palestinian factions of the move at a recent meeting in Cairo.

"The factions welcomed Hamas's decision, describing it as a serious step towards enabling the National Committee to take up its governing role," the official said.

The dissolution paves the way for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), headed by Palestinian official Ali Shaath, to assume administrative responsibilities, the report suggests.

Ceasefire and Unresolved Issues

The announcement comes nearly 1,000 days after the start of the war, which began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has since killed 73,066 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

A US-brokered ceasefire took effect in October 2025, securing the release of all surviving hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. However, key disputes remain unresolved, including the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza.

The war has displaced much of Gaza's population and caused extensive damage to homes, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. By August 2025, about 1.9 million people, roughly 90 per cent of Gaza's population, had been displaced, with much of the enclave facing acute or catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

Since the truce took effect, at least 1,053 Palestinians have been killed and 3,406 others wounded, according to Gaza's Government Media Office, which says it has documented 3,465 Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. Despite the truce, the Israeli military has continued expanding the territory under its control in Gaza.