Hamas orders Gaza agencies to cede power to ceasefire government

"This decision is clear and final, and there are also instructions to facilitate the success of this Palestinian [technocratic committee’s] work, in line with the higher national interest and in keeping with the plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip."

The development comes after it was reported that the US was willing to move into Phase Two before Hamas had released the body of Ran Gvili, the final hostage, or disarmed.

But Israel has insisted that the terror group must give up its weapons before any permanent peace negotiations or reconstruction can begin.

Senior Hamas officials have repeatedly declined to commit to full disarmament, with Khaled Mashaal, co-chair of the group's political bureau, saying: "Disarmament for a Palestinian means stripping away his very soul."

And, even with the latest statement, there is no guarantee of a peaceful transition.

There have long been reports of a split between the political leadership, based in Qatar, and the military leadership in Gaza, with the latter said to be far less willing to compromise.

It has not yet been confirmed by the armed wing whether its leader, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, has agreed to give up governmental power in the Strip.

The order came just as Hamas delayed its elections for a new political chair, which had been expected in the coming weeks.

The terror group has effectively been led by a committee of its political bureau since last year.

The five-person panel was established in August 2024 when Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike, but was briefly subjugated by Yahya Sinwar before he too was killed by the IDF two months later.

The frontrunners are believed to be Mashaal and his co-chair Khalil al-Hayya, with the main policy difference understood to concern whether the group continues to maintain its relations with the Islamic regime in Iran, itself under pressure amid weeks of mass protests, or re-aligns with the Gulf states like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are seen as more moderate on the issue of Israel.

Mashaal is said to favour such a realignment, while al-Hayya and, significantly, al-Haddad reportedly wish to stay in Tehran’s good books.

Saudi outlet Asharq al-Awsat reports that the delay is due to the leadership’s preoccupation with advancing the ceasefire into its second phase and combatting significant internal divisions “which have increased in recent days”.