But the reality on the ground tells a different story. For nearly two decades, Hamas has wielded control over the Gaza Strip. Now, as the group formally hands over administrative duties, the question lingers: Is this a step toward peace, or a strategic retreat?
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), established in January 2026, was meant to take transitional control. Yet, as Amjad Iraqi, senior Israel-Palestine analyst at the International Crisis Group, notes, “Hamas is still the de facto governing authority on the Palestinian-populated side of Gaza. The NCAG, the Palestinian technocratic committee that’s supposed to take over those governing duties, is still basically stuck in Cairo and not allowed to enter into Gaza to assume those duties.”
The Illusion of Transition
Hamas’s decision to dissolve its civilian governing body—as part of the U.S.-backed “Board of Peace” 20-point plan—has been met with skepticism. Mohammed al-Farra resigned from his position on Monday, but Hamas has said that its ministries and staff will stay in place, and that it will still oversee security and policing in parts of Gaza left under its control.
The Human Toll of a Fractured Ceasefire
Meanwhile, Israel’s adherence to the ceasefire remains in question. Since the deal was signed in October, Israel has continued to uphold its blockade of Gaza, preventing people and aid from traveling through its heavily policed borders. It has also violated the deal’s ceasefire provisions on a near-daily basis, killing nearly 1,100 Palestinians, including women, children and other unarmed civilians.
“Very little of this, if any, is actually being called out either by [Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov] or by the U.S. officials,” says Iraqi. “What they’re actually doing is allowing Israel to keep bending the terms of the ceasefire, if not openly violating it.”
The humanitarian impact is dire.
Ace of Spades: The Geopolitical Chessboard
The U.S. role in this crisis remains paradoxical.
The regional implications are equally complex.
What Comes Next?
The coming weeks will test the resilience of the ceasefire. With the NCAG still stranded in Cairo and Israel’s military operations escalating, the path to a lasting resolution remains unclear. For Gazans, the daily struggle for survival—whether through rationed electricity or blocked aid convoys—has become a grim litmus test
