Hamas dissolves de facto government in Gaza Strip, paving the way for new technocrat administration

According to Hamas, the tasks of the dissolved committee are to be transferred to a new administration staffed with independent technocrats. This was stated by Hamas on Monday at a press conference in Deir al-Balah. A Hamas representative also reported the dissolution and resignation to the news agency AFP, it was said further. Mohammed al-Farra, head of the government's crisis committee, had submitted his resignation. Staff members are to remain in service.

The announcement is seen as a signal that Hamas may be prepared to give up at least part of its power. Hamas is signaling its willingness to hand over civil administration, but rejects unconditional disarmament, as Israel demands. The central conflict with Israel therefore remains unresolved: the disarmament of Hamas is, according to consistent reports, the central condition for establishing a new administration in the Gaza Strip.

Conditions for a new administration

International donor states and organizations that are to support reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, largely destroyed in the war against Israel, are tying their aid to an administration not led by Hamas. Given the scale of destruction caused by the war, an administration independent of Hamas is regarded as a prerequisite for the release of international reconstruction funds. The Gaza Strip has a population of around two million.

Concretely, the plan provides for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) to temporarily take over the administration of the Gaza Strip. The NCAG was, according to this, appointed by the "Peace Council" created and led by US President Donald Trump. According to the available information, the committee consists of 15 Palestinian experts. The temporary administration by the NCAG is to remain in place until the Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas has drawn up a reform program.

The plan: NCAG as transitional administration

At the same time, significant questions remain open. It is unclear what influence Hamas will exert behind the scenes in the future and who will assume responsibility for the security structures. It is also unclear whether the dissolution will actually lead to a comprehensive handover of governmental business, or whether Hamas will retain its control behind the scenes. The dissolution of the crisis committee is intended to pave the way for the transfer of administrative and governmental tasks to the NCAG.

Since the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which came into force in October of the previous year, Hamas had repeatedly declared its willingness to withdraw from governmental responsibility. The dissolution now carried out is the most concrete implementation of these signals to date. It nevertheless does not constitute a complete relinquishment of power by Hamas, since the disarmament of the organization remains off the table.

Under the previous structure, Hamas's strategic decisions lay with its political and military leadership, while the dissolved committee had taken over civil administration. The separation between political-military leadership and administrative tasks was therefore structurally established, but in practice closely intertwined. With the dissolution of the committee, this arrangement shifts.

Open questions on security and relinquishment of power

International observers assess the dissolution as a possible interim step towards a broader reorganization of the administration of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority is the internationally recognized body in the West Bank; a return of its administration to the Gaza Strip has been contested for years. The expert administration now announced could temporarily fill this gap, but does not replace a political solution.

Hamas has repeatedly emphasized that the staff of the previous administration will remain in service. This is evidently intended to ensure the continuity of public services. Whether this succeeds, however, depends on the actual transfer of responsibilities.

For the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, observers estimate that extensive international funds will be required. An administration independent of Hamas is regarded internationally as a prerequisite for mobilizing these funds. Hamas's move toward such an administration is therefore also to be understood as a signal to the international community.

The announcement was made on Monday, July 6, 2026. It was disseminated, among others, by the agency APA and on the program Deutschlandfunk. This news was broadcast on 06/07/2026 on the program Deutschlandfunk. The assessment that this represents a political about-face was shared by several sources.

International prerequisites for reconstruction

The conflict over the disarmament of Hamas, however, remains following the dissolution of the de facto government. Israel and the United States continue to demand the complete disarmament of Hamas as a condition for a political reorganization. Hamas rejects unconditional disarmament.

Overall, it remains to be seen whether the new administration will actually be able to begin its work. The tasks are to be transferred to a new administration staffed with independent technocrats. But the actual transfer is tied to the resolution of outstanding security and disarmament questions.