Gaza Turnaround: Hamas Agrees to Relinquish Power

An independent technocratic administration will temporarily take over control of the Gaza Strip, according to a statement issued after the meeting in Cairo. This represents the implementation of one of the points of US President Donald Trump's peace plan. Both Palestinian factions and Hamas agreed to such steps on Friday.

According to a Hamas statement, "the meeting participants agreed to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to an interim committee composed of local technocrats , which will regulate daily life in the post-war period in cooperation with friendly Arab countries and international organizations." This committee will be responsible for " managing basic issues related to living conditions and basic services ."

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One of the stipulations of the peace plan accepted by Israel and Hamas was that a temporary, apolitical, and technocratic Palestinian administration, operating under the supervision of an international Peace Council led by Trump, would take control of the Gaza Strip. The territory would be governed in this manner until the Palestinian Authority reforms and "can safely and effectively regain control of the Gaza Strip."

New arrangements for the Gaza Strip. Technocrats will take control.

It added that with the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and reform of the Palestinian Authority, "conditions could be created for a credible plan for Palestinian self-determination and statehood," which the Palestinians seek. The details of these arrangements have not yet been negotiated. The Israeli government opposes the creation of an independent Palestinian state and the Authority's participation in the post-war administration of the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. State Department announced Friday that diplomat Steven Fagin will head the civilian arm of the Israel-based Center for Civil-Military Cooperation (CMCC). The body will oversee the implementation of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

What's next for the Gaza Strip? Hamas agrees to a temporary transfer of power

A letter issued after the Cairo meeting called for a meeting "to agree on a national strategy and reactivate the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people." The Palestinian Authority is the administrative arm of the PLO. Both structures are dominated by Fatah, a political-military organization whose primary goal is the liberation of Palestine from Israeli rule .

Hamas is not part of the PLO, which is internationally recognized as representing the Palestinians. The statement that the organization is "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" is the result of a meeting in Cairo, which was attended by representatives of the rival Fatah, in addition to Hamas.

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Additionally, representatives of smaller groups present in the Gaza Strip participated in the talks, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad , the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine , and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine . However, Hamas was the key participant in this meeting, as it has ruled the Gaza Strip independently since 2007, when it won the internal armed conflict there against Fatah.

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