Hamas dissolves its government in Gaza to transfer power to UN-backed committee
The body that has governed the Gaza Strip since Hamas took administrative control in 2007 was formally dissolved, with only technical and professional staff retained to run day-to-day civilian affairs
Governing functions are intended to transfer to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a transitional body of Palestinian technocrats formed in January 2026 under a UN Security Council resolution
The technocratic committee, headed by an acting commissioner, remains temporarily headquartered outside Gaza pending arrangements for its entry into the territory
The move does not extend to Hamas's broader political or military role in Gaza, marking a shift limited to direct civilian administration
UN Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) and the Board of Peace
UNSC Resolution 2803, adopted on November 17, 2025, endorsed a US-backed comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict (commonly referenced as a "20-point plan"). The resolution established a transitional international governance mechanism for Gaza — the Board of Peace (BoP) — to act as an interim administering authority, alongside an International Stabilization Force (ISF) mandated to ensure security, oversee demilitarisation, and support the training of a Palestinian police force. The resolution passed 13-0, with China and Russia abstaining.
Key Details
- Resolution number and date: UNSC Resolution 2803, adopted November 17, 2025
- Vote: 13 in favour, 0 against, 2 abstentions (China, Russia)
- Board of Peace: interim transitional governance authority for Gaza envisaged for a defined period
- International Stabilization Force (ISF): multinational peace-enforcement mandate covering security, demilitarisation, and aid oversight
- National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG): the technocratic Palestinian body formed in January 2026 under this framework to handle civilian administration
The dissolution of Hamas's governing apparatus and the stated transfer of civilian authority to the NCAG is the on-the-ground implementation step envisaged under the governance architecture created by Resolution 2803.
Historical Background: Hamas's Administrative Control of Gaza (2006-2007)
Hamas won Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006 and subsequently took full administrative control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 after an internal conflict with the rival Fatah movement, which retained control of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. This split created two separate Palestinian administrations — a division that has shaped the governance and peace-process landscape for nearly two decades and is a recurring reference point for the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Key Details
- Hamas electoral victory: January 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections
- Hamas takeover of Gaza administration: 2007, following conflict with Fatah
- Resulting division: Gaza (Hamas-administered) vs. West Bank (Palestinian Authority/Fatah-administered)
- This bifurcation predates and complicates any "two-state solution" framework requiring unified Palestinian governance
The 2026 dissolution marks the first formal end to direct Hamas civilian administration of Gaza since 2007, a structurally significant event for any future unified Palestinian governance arrangement.
The Oslo Accords (1993) and the Two-State Solution Framework
The Oslo Accords, signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), created the Palestinian Authority as an interim self-governing body and were envisaged as a stepping stone toward a negotiated two-state solution — an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. The Oslo framework remains the reference baseline against which subsequent governance arrangements for Gaza and the West Bank, including the current transitional mechanism, are assessed by the international community.
Key Details
- Oslo I Accord (Declaration of Principles): signed September 13, 1993, Washington D.C.
- Signatories: Israel (Yitzhak Rabin) and the PLO (Mahmoud Abbas), witnessed by the United States
- Created the Palestinian Authority as an interim self-government body
- Two-state solution: internationally referenced framework for a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel; not implemented to date
The current transitional governance mechanism for Gaza operates in the shadow of the unfulfilled Oslo-era two-state framework, with the NCAG positioned as a technocratic, non-partisan interim administration rather than a step toward full Palestinian sovereignty.
- Hamas administrative control of Gaza: since 2007 (nearly two decades)
- UNSC Resolution 2803 adopted: November 17, 2025 (vote 13-0-2)
- National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) formed: January 2026
- NCAG interim headquarters: Cairo, Egypt (pending entry into Gaza)
- Oslo I Accord signed: September 13, 1993
- Hamas won Palestinian Legislative Council elections: January 2006