Hamas Reportedly Open to Power Transfer in Gaza Strip

According to recent media reports, Hamas has expressed a willingness to transfer governance of the Gaza Strip to another Palestinian authority. The Islamist group signaled its readiness to hand over control to a Palestinian entity, such as the Palestinian Authority currently ruling in the West Bank, or a newly formed organization, as cited by a senior Palestinian official.

Before any transition can occur, national and regional agreements must be reached regarding the future government structure. Hamas has been in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in a potential future government in Gaza.

Meanwhile, mediators engaged in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding a new ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza have presented a new proposal. This draft, developed by Egypt and Qatar, outlines a ceasefire lasting five to seven years, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, according to the same Palestinian official involved in the discussions.

Recently, Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for a 45-day ceasefire aimed at the release of ten hostages, citing that it did not include an end to ongoing hostilities. The last ceasefire period concluded a month ago when Israel and Hamas failed to agree on the terms for the next phase. Following this impasse, Israeli forces resumed extensive military operations in the Gaza Strip.