Hamas might be open to dissolving its government in Gaza, according to reports on Sunday and Monday. Hamas might “hand over” governance or “announce dissolution” of its government, these reports indicated.
“We have taken note of the announcement today regarding the dissolution of the ‘Emergency Committee’ in Gaza,” the US-backed Board of Peace (BoP) for administration and reconstruction in Gaza said.
In truth, Hamas was never supposed to be running Gaza in the first place. It came to power illegally in 2007 through a coup in the wake of Palestinian elections in 2006.
Hamas had already kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006, thereby indicating the kind of “government” it would run.
Hamas ran Gaza from 2007 until today, covering a decade and a half of crime and terrorism.
It was aided in this by the international community and the United Nations, which were willing to step in to fund services for most of the Gazans. This allowed Hamas to concentrate on preparing for war.
Trump succeeded hostage return promise, faces challenge of replacing Hamas
Hamas’s rule was cemented both by the international community and by short-sighted policies in Israel.
Cash flowed to Hamas from places such as Qatar, where Hamas leaders lived in luxury. The cash came through Israel and was presented as a way to deter Hamas. While some Israeli officials, such as former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, objected to this arrangement, it was considered a good strategy in Jerusalem.
Reducing Hamas’s “governance” in Gaza was one of the goals of the Israel-Hamas War that broke out after October 7, 2023.
Israeli officials eventually changed their tone, from comparing Hamas to ISIS and claiming, “There won’t be Hamas,” to saying that the goal of the war was primarily just to reduce Hamas capabilities.
The Trump administration came into office promising to return the hostages. It succeeded in this endeavor, bringing about a ceasefire in the middle of last October. Since then, the US and the administration’s Board of Peace have sought to create conditions for new governance in Gaza.
According to the Board of Peace, “Ultimately, our assessment will be guided by actions, not promises, to meet the critical needs of the people of Gaza. Decisions must be comprehensive with respect to the requirements as set out in the roadmap for advancing governance, security, and transition in Gaza. We look forward to the successful conclusion of discussions on this roadmap, including on the implementation mechanisms necessary to enable the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) to assume full governing authority.”
“The core principle remains one authority, one law and one weapon,” it said. “This means the consolidation of all weapons under the control of the NCAG as provided for in the Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. A genuine transfer of authority must enable the NCAG to exercise its mandate independently, including taking the administrative and governance decisions entrusted to it.”
The question is now whether the so-called Hamas Emergency Committee is really resigning. Another question also looms, regarding the role of NCAG.
Some Israeli officials have not appeared very interested in working with this group or in working toward reconstruction in Gaza. Instead, voices in Jerusalem have talked about how Gaza will remain in ruins, and some people continue to suggest that those who live in Gaza should be encouraged to leave.
In essence, this means leaving Hamas in charge. There is talk of Israel taking over more of Gaza – as much as 70% to 80% This is not envisioned in the Trump plan and leaves a lot of questions about whether civilians in Gaza will ever be allowed to leave the Hamas-run part of Gaza and live a normal life under the technocratic committee.
If Hamas is really going to “dissolve” its illegal government in Gaza, then what will it do next? Is its goal to basically go underground, as it has done in the West Bank, and wait to return to power in Gaza? Is it going to simply change its name and put lipstick on the proverbial pig?
Hamas’s move will pave the way for the Trump plan to gather steam, Saudi-owned, London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
Clearly, July is an important month for the United States in Gaza and the region. There are the NATO meetings in Turkey. France’s president is going to Syria. There is a ceasefire in Lebanon. The Trump administration is working on the memorandum of understanding with Iran.
Ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran
Many wheels are in motion, and progress in Gaza has been rumored.
One hurdle is the issue of disarming Hamas. How does one disarm it if it has dissolved its government? What is the address for talks with Hamas?
Is it going to shift again back to Cairo, as it did last month? Or to Doha?
Cairo inaugurated a new massive military center last week, and Egypt is also critical of Israel’s policies.
Clearly, Israel is skeptical about Hamas’s claims. Jerusalem is also concerned that Hamas is not disarming as it is supposed to. Furthermore, US policy on Gaza might be shifting, Yediot Aharonot reported over the weekend.
The Board of Peace continues to demand disarmament, however, and it intends to move forward with the plan envisioned by Trump.
Hamas may be saying it is dissolving to avoid being pressured to do so. If Hamas claims to have dissolved its rule, then how will pressure be applied to it? Hamas can simply throw up its hands and say, “We don’t run this,” but still remain behind the curtain.
The big question now is whether the BoP and the NCAG can create a non-Hamas-run area. Can reconstruction begin? Can the two million civilians in Gaza trapped under Hamas rule finally be able to move to a non-Hamas-run area and receive basic civil rights?
The long-term goal is that Hamas won’t have a role in governing Gaza. It will need to be disarmed, and at least a symbolic quantity of its arms should be collected.
The anti-ISIS war, which freed Mosul from ISIS, can point a way forward. Remove Hamas and let the civilians begin to rebuild lives, as happened in Mosul.
Many challenges remain. Clearly, recent reports are aimed at spotlighting Gaza. Hamas has its messaging, and it wants to stir the pot and confuse everyone by obfuscating whether it will give up the power that it was never supposed to have.