Hamas Will Not Govern Gaza After the War, According to a Movement Source

According to a source from the movement, Hamas will not participate in the governance of Gaza after the war. This announcement was made on Sunday, just ahead of a summit focused on the Palestinian territory, which will gather around twenty leaders in Egypt, including Donald Trump.

A ceasefire came into effect on Friday after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, based on a 20-point plan proposed by the American president, which involves the disarmament of Hamas and excludes any role for the movement in the future governance of the Palestinian territory.

"For Hamas, the governance of the Gaza Strip is a settled issue. Hamas will not participate at all in the transition phase, which means it has relinquished control of the Gaza Strip, but it remains a fundamental part of Palestinian society," said the source close to Hamas's negotiating team, speaking on condition of anonymity.

While Hamas's leadership has previously been divided on key issues, particularly regarding the future administration of Gaza, there seems to be a consensus against disarmament.

"Hamas accepts a long-term ceasefire, and that its weapons will not be used at all during this period, except in the event of an Israeli attack on Gaza," the source stated.

"The proposed disarmament is out of the question and non-negotiable," a Hamas official reiterated to AFP on Saturday, also under anonymity.

The first clause of Trump's plan stipulates that the Gaza Strip, which the movement took control of in 2007, will become a "de-radicalized zone free of terrorism, which will not pose a threat to its neighbors."

The plan also states that Hamas will play no role in the future governance of the Gaza Strip, and its military infrastructure and arsenal will be destroyed.

During a transitional phase, a "technocratic and apolitical" Palestinian committee will be responsible for managing public services.

The source close to the negotiators indicated that this team has asked Egypt, one of the mediating countries, to convene a meeting before the end of next week to reach an agreement on the composition of this committee, adding that the list of names is "almost ready."

"Hamas, along with other factions, has proposed 40 names. There is absolutely no veto regarding these and none of them belong to Hamas," the source added.

AFP