Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas' government media office, holds a press conference at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on July 6, 2026. (Credit: Eyad Baba/AFP)
In an unprecedented statement that could mark a turning point, Hamas, which exercises de facto control over just under half of the Gaza Strip, announced Monday that it was dissolving its governing bodies.The move could bring nearly two decades of rule to an end.According to Ismail al-Thawabta, director of Hamas’ government media office, the decision is intended to pave the way for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic governing body set up under the Board of Peace, and created by U.S. President Donald Trump.Since the body was established during the negotiations that led to the October 2025 cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and ended two years of Israeli war on Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, Gaza’s political future has remained at a standstill.The second phase of the truce, which was meant...
In an unprecedented statement that could mark a turning point, Hamas, which exercises de facto control over just under half of the Gaza Strip, announced Monday that it was dissolving its governing bodies.The move could bring nearly two decades of rule to an end.According to Ismail al-Thawabta, director of Hamas’ government media office, the decision is intended to pave the way for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a technocratic governing body set up under the Board of Peace, and created by U.S. President Donald Trump.Since the body was established during the negotiations that led to the October 2025 cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and ended two years of Israeli war on Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, Gaza’s political future has remained at a standstill.The second phase of the truce, which was...
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