GAZA – Hamas on Monday announced the dissolution of the administrative body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly 20 years, paving the way for a technocratic committee to assume responsibility for civilian affairs.
The decision represents a major political development for the Palestinian group, which has controlled Gaza since 2007 after taking power from the rival Fatah movement. Hamas had emerged victorious in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections before consolidating its control over the territory the following year.
The newly proposed technocratic committee is expected to oversee civilian governance as part of efforts to establish an alternative administrative framework for the enclave.
Iran says US MoU difficult to implement, stresses role in Lebanon
Iranian Parliament Speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said the recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States would be challenging to implement, but maintained that it remains achievable.
Speaking during separate meetings in Tehran with Hamas Leadership Council chief Mohammad Darwish and senior Hezbollah official Muhammad Fneish, Ghalibaf said Iran’s differences with the United States remain unresolved and reiterated that Tehran would not recognise Israel.
He said Iran would continue supporting what it describes as the “axis of resistance” and stressed that any engagement with Washington should produce tangible outcomes rather than negotiations for their own sake.
According to Ghalibaf, Iran insisted that the MoU include provisions safeguarding the territorial integrity of regional countries and ending military actions against Iran’s allied groups, adding that these points were incorporated into the agreement.
He also urged Muslim countries to play a greater role in regional affairs, claiming they had realised that cooperation with the United States and Israel would not guarantee their security.
Addressing the situation in Lebanon, Ghalibaf said lasting peace in the country would not be possible without Iran’s involvement, describing Tehran as a stabilising force in the region. He said Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were among Iran’s key priorities during negotiations that resulted in the MoU.
He further praised Hezbollah’s support for Iran during the recent conflict with Israel, calling it a defining moment that reflected the close relationship between Tehran and its regional allies.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out fresh demolition operations in southern Lebanon on Monday, destroying several houses in the town of Aitaroun and conducting an explosion in Houla, according to Lebanese state media.
The reported operations took place despite an existing ceasefire and a US-backed framework agreement signed on June 26 that envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Israeli drones also continued to fly over Beirut’s southern suburbs, while military activity persisted in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities say thousands of people have been killed and injured since hostilities escalated, while Israeli forces continue to maintain a presence in parts of southern Lebanon and areas captured during the latest conflict.
