Hamas says ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee

Hamas is prepared to transfer Gaza governance to a Palestinian committee, contingent on reopening the Rafah border crossing.

Hamas said Wednesday (January 28, 2026) it was ready to transfer the governance of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic committee, while insisting the key Rafah border crossing be fully reopened within days.

"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of governance in the Gaza Strip across all sectors to the technocratic committee," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP.

The 15-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) is a team of Palestinian technocrats created as part of the U.S.-sponsored ceasefire agreement which came into effect on October 10.

It is charged with managing the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza and will work under the supervision of the "Board of Peace", which U.S. President Donald Trump will chair.

The NCAG, headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, is expected to enter the Gaza Strip once the territory's Rafah crossing, on its border with Egypt, reopens.

Hamas spokesman Qassem added that the Rafah crossing "must be opened in both directions, with full freedom of exit and entry to the Gaza Strip, without any Israeli obstacles".