The announcement that Hamas has agreed to a roadmap for its disarmament can now shift that dynamic, yet it is unlikely things will change on the ground anytime soon.
âThe last thing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants going into Octoberâs elections is US pressure to withdraw from Gaza, and itâs likely he will foot-drag any further negotiations as much as possible,â Norman said.
Hamas official Ghazi Hamad has told Al Jazeera that the group âmade concessions for the sake of our Palestinian peopleâ.
âOur primary objective is to protect our people in the Gaza Strip from the ongoing hostile measures and criminal plans pursued by the Israeli occupation,â he said.
âThe agreement is a package,â Hamad said. âWe will not begin any weapons-related steps until Israel implements these commitments. Frankly, if Israel does not implement them, we will not proceed.â
Hamad said Israel must first cease fire, stop all targeted killings in Gaza, withdraw its troops to the Yellow Line and allow for a surge of humanitarian aid consistent with the October ceasefire agreement. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a Palestinian technocratic committee appointed by the Board of Peace, must also enter Gaza and take over governance of the strip.
The NCAG will assume control of weapons belonging to Hamasâs police force in Gaza, Hamad said.
The agreement concludes months of intensive, good faith negotiations to advance President Donald J. Trump‘s vision for establishing new governance, security, humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and economic recovery in Gaza as set out in the Comprehensive Peace Plan and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803.
The Roadmap represents a historic breakthrough. For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The committee of technocrats, which is based in Cairo, is chaired by Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former official with the Palestinian Authority. It has a mandate to restore essential services and oversee civilian affairs under the supervision of the U.N. and the Board of Peace.
The Palestinian group Hamas has announced the dissolution of the body that has governed Gaza for nearly two decades, paving the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule in the war-ravaged, besieged territory.
The move on Monday marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has governed Gaza since its fighters seized control from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 after Hamas won legislative elections the previous year.