Media: Post-war Gaza to be run by independent Palestinian committee

The main Palestinian political factions, including Hamas, announced on October 24 that they have agreed to hand over the administration of Gaza to an independent committee of technocrats following the recent conflict.

According to a joint statement published on the Hamas website, cited by Al Arabiya, the factions decided to transfer “the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent technocrats.” 

The committee will be responsible for managing daily life and basic services in coordination with Arab partners and international institutions.

The statement also emphasised the factions’ commitment to develop a unified stance to address “the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.” It called for a meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to “agree on a national strategy and to revitalise the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.” Notably, Hamas is not part of the PLO, which is dominated by its long-time rival, Fatah.

On October 23, delegations from Hamas and Fatah had met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of a US-backed ceasefire plan in Gaza. An informed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said both sides agreed to “continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organising the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.”

Alongside the Hamas-Fatah talks, Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met with senior officials from other key Palestinian factions, including Islamic Jihad (an ally of Hamas), as well as the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, both of which are PLO factions.

Hamas and Fatah have a long history of political rivalry, which escalated into clashes following the 2006 election and has repeatedly impeded efforts toward Palestinian national unity. In December 2024, they agreed to form a joint committee to administer post-war Gaza, a deal that drew criticism, particularly from Fatah members.

While Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, has signalled that it does not intend to govern the post-war territory, it has resisted demands to disarm its fighters, maintaining its military presence in the region.

By Tamilla Hasanova