Hamas Is Stepping Down In Gaza. So Why Does Israel Say Nothing Has Changed?
Hamas Is Stepping Down In Gaza. So Why Does Israel Say Nothing Has Changed? Published By, Last Updated: July 07, 2026, 09:53 IST By stepping
Hamas Is Stepping Down In Gaza. So Why Does Israel Say Nothing Has Changed? Published By, Last Updated: July 07, 2026, 09:53 IST By stepping aside politically, Hamas may be trying to remove itself as the face of day-to-day governance while preserving its 'core identity' as an armed resistance movement Rapid Read For Hamas, governing Gaza has increasingly become a burden. (AFP) After ruling the Gaza Strip for nearly 20 years, Hamas has announced it is dissolving the civilian body that has governed the territory and is ready to hand over administrative control to a committee of Palestinian technocrats. At first glance, the move appears historic. But Israel has dismissed it as cosmetic, arguing that as long as Hamas retains its weapons and military infrastructure, little has changed on the ground. So, is this really the end of Hamas’s rule over Gaza or simply a reshuffling of power? What Exactly Has Hamas Announced? Hamas said it has dissolved the governing committee that has overseen Gaza’s ministries for years and is prepared to transfer civilian administration to the Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic body created under the post-war governance framework backed by the United States and supported by the United Nations. ALSO READ | No Arms For Hamas To Future Of Gaza Strip: The Proposal Of Trump’s Board of Peace The announcement forms part of the broader ceasefire and reconstruction roadmap that envisions Gaza eventually being run by civilian administrators instead of Hamas. Reuters reported Hamas as saying that government ministries and civil servants will continue providing public services under the new arrangement.
Does This Mean Hamas Is Leaving Gaza? Not quite. The announcement concerns governance, not control. While Hamas says it is stepping away from running ministries, it has not committed to disarming, nor has it agreed to dissolve its military wing. Reuters reported that Hamas intends to continue overseeing security and policing in areas that remain under its control following the ceasefire. Israeli officials argue that means the group would still wield decisive influence even if another body formally runs civilian affairs. To put it simply, Hamas is giving up civilian administration, cabinet-style governance, oversight of ministries, and political responsibility for daily services. However, it will retain armed fighters, security influence in parts of Gaza, and military capability. That difference explains why Israel says the move does not satisfy its core demand. Why Is Disarmament The Real Issue? Since the October 7, 2023, attack, Israel has maintained that the war cannot truly end unless Hamas is dismantled as both a military and governing force. ALSO READ | Israel Built A Hamas Kill List After Oct 7. Then, It Launched A High-Tech Mission To Bring Them Down For Israel, removing Hamas from government while allowing it to retain thousands of fighters, weapons stockpiles and command structures would leave the group capable of rebuilding its influence. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described Hamas’s announcement as a “stunt", arguing that any civilian authority operating while Hamas remains armed would effectively remain under its shadow. The US-backed Board of Peace, established to oversee implementation of the post-war plan, has also said it will judge Hamas by “actions, not promises", stressing that meaningful progress depends on who ultimately controls weapons inside Gaza.
The BriefWire