Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas' government media office, addresses a press conference at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip on July 6, 2026. Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced on July 6 the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule. Photo: Eyad Baba / AFP / Lehtikuva
International news
Hamas has announced plans to dissolve the bodies that have governed the Gaza Strip for almost two decades, marking the biggest political shift inside the territory since the group took control in 2007.
The decision comes as Israeli military aggression continued across Gaza and southern Lebanon on Monday, with Palestinian and Lebanese officials reporting new casualties despite ceasefire arrangements in both territories.
Hamas officials told AFP that the movement had decided to dissolve the Government Emergency Committee, which has overseen civilian administration in Gaza during Israel's genocidal war, and transfer authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a technocratic body formed with representatives from different Palestinian factions.
