Hamas Dissolves Gaza Government: What Are the Reasons?
Earlier this week, the militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, announced that it would dissolve its government and hand over administrative authority it has held for nearly two decades. Hamas stated the move was intended to pave the way for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a body set to take over civil administration as part of a peace plan mediated by the United States in October 2025. However, debate persists over whether the announcement represents a genuine political turning point or is merely symbolic. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reacted with scepticism, stating that as long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civil government will act under its direction. Saar reiterated that the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip remain prerequisites for political restructuring.
Many observers view the step not as a true handover of power, but as an attempt to revive a stalled political process without committing to disarmament. The US peace plan outlined the formation of a new government composed of independent technocrats. The NCAG, a transitional body of Palestinian experts overseen by a Peace Council formed by Donald Trump, began operating in January 2026, but its members remain in Cairo, Egypt, awaiting permission to enter Gaza. Simon Wolfgang Fuchs, an Islamic studies expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, suggested the announcement is a cautious signal from Hamas that it should not be blamed for the political deadlock. He noted that unlike before, Hamas is refraining from hostilities and attempting to convey compliance with the US-mediated plan.
Despite the plan, the transitional government has not begun work and Israel has not withdrawn its troops; in fact, Israel now occupies a larger area of the Gaza Strip than it did months ago. Analysts cited by The Guardian argue that Hamas aims to remove Israel’s justification that reconstruction is failing due to Hamas rule, while increasing political pressure on Israel and the US. The core dispute remains unchanged: Hamas has not agreed to disarm. The Security Council Report notes that the peace plan’s roadmap calls for parallel steps of Hamas relinquishing all military, police, and administrative functions, and a phased Israeli withdrawal, but these reciprocal measures have stalled. Fuchs considers the military issue the crucial test, observing that Washington may currently prioritise establishing a civil government over immediate disarmament, which explains Israel’s scepticism. For now, the dissolution is largely symbolic, with ministries continuing their duties and the transitional government unable to operate on the ground.