‘The day after’ arrangement: Hamas considering committee to administer Gaza

The Hamas terrorist organization is considering the establishment of a civilian committee to manage the Gaza Strip’s affairs as part of the “day after” framework for the post-war period.According to Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem, the committee will consist of independent experts with no affiliations to any Palestinian Arab organizations. He stated that Hamas, along with other Palestinian factions, has agreed in principle to form this new body. The organization is now working on the process of transferring authority to the committee and ensuring its proper functioning in line with the tasks assigned to it.Qassem emphasized that Hamas does not intend to assume direct responsibility for the administrative structure to be established, provided it is formed through broad national consensus. He also noted that Hamas has previously made clear that its representatives will not take on a direct role in the governing body that will administer the Gaza Strip once the war ends.Meanwhile, Hamas representatives are expected to arrive in Cairo next week for talks on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement with Israel. During these discussions, the list of potential candidates for the new civilian committee will be reviewed.Israel, for its part, continues to set clear conditions for any future arrangement, with the most important being the demand for the dismantling of Hamas’s military wings. Israeli officials view this as a crucial requirement to prevent the organization from retaining de facto control over the Gaza Strip, even if it does not assume an official role in the new civilian administration.Before the October 7, 2023 terror attack, Hamas’s Follow-Up Committee oversaw the operations of the Palestinian Arab ministries in Gaza. These ministries were formally subordinate to the Palestinian Authority but operated under Hamas control in practice.