Palestinian Hamas terrorists stand guard at a site as Hamas says it continues to search for the bodies of deceased hostages, in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, Dec. 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Stringer

On Monday, Hamas announced that it’s begun dissolving its government in Gaza to stage a handover to a technocratic committee under the auspices of the Board of Peace, as envisaged by the October 2025 ceasefire agreement.

Yet a close reading of its spokesmen’s text — and other sources — shows that Hamas has no intention to follow through with the most important part of the deal: complete disarmament.

Hamas’ ploy has the hallmarks of political theater.

The terror group has said its “technical and professional staff” will keep their jobs — meaning Hamas terrorists will remain to run the “new” administration, and only its ministers will resign for new figureheads.

More than that, however, Hamas’ move is a calculated maneuver to entice the international community to begin reconstruction and pressure Israel to withdraw from the “Yellow” ceasefire line, thus offloading the daunting task of rebuilding

Gaza onto others. Meanwhile, Hamas can quietly rebuild its weapons and tunnel infrastructure until the time is ripe to impose its rule on all of Gaza, as it did in 2007, when it kicked out the Palestinian Authority.

On Sunday, the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat broke the news of Hamas’ planned governmental “handover” to the Board of Peace’s technocrats.

But the same report reveals what Hamas was not prepared to give up:

The ongoing discussions aim to reach an agreed formula around the roadmap presented by [the Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nicolay] Mladenov last April.

While Hamas insists on a gradual process of gathering weapons and transferring them to a Palestinian entity, it also demands that Israel withdraw from areas it holds, which it claims constitute about 70% of the Strip’s territory… [emphasis added]

A Hamas spokesman made the limits of this transition explicit:

Hazem Qassem said in a statement released yesterday that his movement ‘acted positively and with a high level of responsibility in the last round of negotiations, and things are progressing. We are working to reach understandings on all issues, including ending the war, initiating real humanitarian aid, and rebuilding all areas of the Gaza Strip.’

He further emphasized that ‘there can be no escaping the process of transferring all Gaza Strip administration portfolios to the National Committee so that it can begin “carrying out its duties.“ [emphasis added]

[Asharq Al-Awsat, July 5, 2026]

Note that Hamas’ goals of ending the war, more humanitarian aid, and rebuilding the Gaza Strip are only Hamas goals. What is missing is any mention of handing over weapons, which is the only issue that truly matters to Israel.

This is Hamas’ strategy laid bare: let technocrats supervise the Hamas-appointed “professionals” who will manage clinics, schools, and reconstruction, while Hamas’ military wing rebuilds its rocket arsenal and tunnel network underground, undisturbed. A Gaza where Hamas keeps its weapons is a Gaza where a repeat of the October 7 massacre against Israel is already being planned.

The Board of Peace must reject Hamas’ ploy and not fall into its trap, which seeks to reorder the October 2025 ceasefire deal which stipulated that Hamas had to totally disarm as a prelude to rebuilding Gaza.

Hamas’ dream is to have Gaza rebuilt at the expense of international donors, while remaining the dominant armed force behind the scenes on the ground – as well as in the tunnels below.

The author is a contributor to Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.