Hamas says it will step aside. Here's what it means for Gaza — and what obstacles remain

in brief

Hamas says it has dissolved the governing body that has run Gaza for almost two decades.

Experts say the conflict's biggest sticking point remains unchanged as Hamas is still refusing to disarm.

Hamas says it is ending nearly two decades of civilian rule in Gaza, marking a significant political shift amid fragile ceasefire negotiations.

The group said it has dissolved the body that has governed the region since 2007, clearing the way for a United States-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats to take over civilian administration under a ceasefire plan brokered by US President Donald Trump.

But experts told SBS News it does not resolve the main obstacle to the ceasefire, as the militant group has refused to disarm unless Israel ends its military operations.

Israel has consistently said any lasting agreement requires Hamas to fully disarm and Gaza to be completely demilitarised.

With Gaza continuing to be rocked and destabilised by violence, Hamas' pledge could offer little comfort to civilians in the enclave holding out for peace.

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What happens now?

Hamas has governed Gaza since it seized control from rival Palestinian faction Fatah in 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year.

The group said on Monday it had dissolved its Government Emergency Committee to facilitate the transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 15-member technocratic body based in Cairo.

Hamas said government ministries and civil servants would remain in place. It also said it would continue to oversee security and policing in parts of Gaza still under its control.

NCAG chair Ali Shaath said the committee was ready to assume its responsibilities once the necessary resources and conditions were in place. He said its success depended on "one authority, one law and one weapon" under a single governing body.

The Trump-appointed Board of Peace, which oversees the post-war plan, said it would judge progress by "actions, not promises".

It also reiterated that all weapons must eventually come under NCAG control in line with the Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

But some analysts have questioned whether the announcement would lead to meaningful change.

What does this mean for Gaza?

Mkhaimar Abusada, a political expert from Gaza, told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency that Hamas's move was a "symbolic gesture".

He explained that whether Hamas steps aside is less important to the peace process than the question of the group retaining its weapons.

"Hamas has not agreed to disarming itself, and that is still the sticking point," he said.

Ian Parmeter, a Middle East expert at the ANU Centre of Arab and Islamic Studies, said there's "little to no chance" of Hamas disarming, undermining efforts for peace and a gradual rebuild of the war-torn region.

"Israel is determined that nothing will happen in terms of reconstruction of Gaza as a whole until Hamas gives up its weapons," he said.

Even if Hamas does take large steps at disarming soon, Israel's response will be overshadowed by its upcoming election, which will be front of mind for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Netanyahu will want to go to that election showing that he is in complete security control of Israel's borders," Parmeter said.

"I think it's most unlikely that anything substantial is going to happen in Gaza in the lead-up, particularly since the election will be held around about the third anniversary of the attacks of October the 7th, 2023, when some 1,200 people were killed."

In the meantime, Palestinians are living in "appalling conditions", Parmeter said, with many of the some two million people there living in temporary shelters and tents.

Violence continues

The second phase of the ceasefire, which includes Hamas' disarmament and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal, has been stalled for months.

Israeli forces have instead expanded their presence and effectively now control more than 60 per cent of Gaza as violence continues across the region despite the October ceasefire.

An independent UN commission alleges Israeli forces have also continued to deliberately target Palestinian children during the ceasefire alongside the targeting of healthcare and education facilities and restricting the flow of aid. Israel rejected the report's findings, calling it "propaganda".

For some residents in Gaza City, the recent announcement offers little hope, with one local describing Hamas' pledge as "empty words".

"Hamas remains in its place in Gaza and controls everything: the crossings, the ministries, the security. They only change faces, but they insist on remaining in power at any cost, even if the entire population dies," Hussam Majed told AFP.

Health officials said Israeli strikes on Monday killed five Palestinians, including a couple in Gaza City.

The Israeli military said one strike killed Hamas commander Fadi Ashour Daghmash and said its operations since the ceasefire have targeted militant threats. Hamas has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and failing to carry out agreed withdrawals.

According to Gaza's health ministry, at least 1,072 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect. The Israeli military says five soldiers and one civilian contractor have also been killed during the same period.

- Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

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