Qatari newspaper The New Arab published on Tuesday a draft of the document establishing the "Community Support Committee for the Management of the Gaza Strip " following discussions between Hamas and Fatah delegations in Cairo held last Saturday.
According to the drafted document, which still requires approval from Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the committee will include experts from various fields who will manage the coastal enclave from both within Gaza and Palestinian Authority territories. The committee will also operate under U.S. supervision.
The two-page document outlines the committee's role as the governing authority responsible for all sectors, including health, economy, education, agriculture, essential services and reconstruction efforts. It stresses the committee's formation as a national consensus body functioning under Palestinian state laws and regulations.
The committee will comprise 10–15 members recognized for their integrity, experience and transparency. Its organizational structure includes a president, a vice president, officials for aid, education, health and economy, a local governance coordinator, a reconstruction director and a liaison for communication with local and international bodies.
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Additionally, a border crossing representative will oversee the critical operation of the Rafah border crossing, a vital economic artery for Hamas before the war.
The document specifies six foundational principles for the committee's establishment. The first stresses maintaining the territorial integrity of the "occupied Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, including the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza." The second principle highlights coordination between the West Bank-based Palestinian government and the Gaza committee.
The third affirms the committee’s alignment with the broader Palestinian political framework, rejecting any separation of Gaza from other Palestinian territories. The fourth calls for the selection of independent, qualified national figures to carry out the committee's tasks.
The fifth aims to manage all local authorities in Gaza in a way that benefits the Palestinian public. The sixth principle reads that the committee will operate in Gaza until the "reasons for its establishment are resolved, general elections are held or another agreed-upon solution is adopted."
Despite the emerging agreement, the committee's formation depends on Abbas's approval, which he currently conditions on Hamas recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole national representative of the Palestinian people. Should Abbas endorse the principles, a presidential decree would formalize them.
If established, the committee marks a significant shift in Hamas's stance, as the terror group has so far resisted international involvement that would effectively strip it of control over Gaza. The move aligns with a Lebanese-style governance framework and includes external oversight of Gaza. This shift is part of Egypt's broader initiative to advance negotiations on a hostage deal and a cease-fire to end the war, meeting Israel's demand that Hamas no longer govern Gaza.
However, despite this potential change, Hamas — currently operating in Gaza as a guerrilla organization and still inflicting losses on Israeli forces — is unlikely to disappear. Consequently, Israel is expected to continue insisting on complete freedom of action in Gaza.