Hamas announced on Monday that it has dissolved its governing body in the Gaza Strip, ending nearly two decades of direct administration and paving the way for a technocratic committee to oversee the territory.
The Palestinian group, which has governed Gaza since 2007, said a nationally accepted figure would temporarily oversee the administration until the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza formally assumes its responsibilities.
The announcement follows repeated statements by Hamas since the October ceasefire that it was prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance. However, the issue of the group’s disarmament remains unresolved.