Postwar Gaza Governance: Here’s What We Know So Far
- Uri Pilichowski
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The 20-point US proposal for ending the war in Gaza encourages Palestinians to remain in the Strip, provides for the possibility of a Palestinian state, and contains clauses that have been staples in various proposals crafted by different stakeholders in recent months — from the release of all hostages to Hamas’s removal from power.
Postwar Gaza: Outlined
The most important of the 20 points involves the governance of Gaza moving forward. The agreement contains the following clauses:
Gaza will be a deradicalized, terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to be deployed immediately in Gaza. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza.
As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw in accordance with standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization, to be agreed upon by the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the United States.
Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the "Board of Peace," which will be headed and chaired by US President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of state to be announced. Hamas and other factions agree not to have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form.
Hamas needs to disarm
As the tenuous ceasefire holds amid the hostage delay, the temporary closure of the Rafah crossing and reduced aid levels, and some spurts of violence, the next steps to negotiate the governance and reconstruction of Gaza are unclear.
In the wake of the Egypt conference, no public timeline has been announced to negotiate the next phases of the White House’s peace plan, which includes most of the thornier issues between Israel and Hamas. Back in Washington, Trump has repeated calls for Hamas to return the deceased hostages and to disarm, saying that “if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them.”
What does Gaza look like now?
Hamas may have stopped fighting Israel, but it has launched a new, violent campaign to reassert control over local families and militias that had challenged its power during the past two years of war — including those who, according to the leaders of two clans, had received support from Israel.
Whether by carrying out armed raids in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip or holding public executions farther north in Gaza City, Hamas is trying to send a clear message that, after months of hiding from Israeli fire, the militant group is back as the only visible authority inside the Gaza Strip, according to rival militia leaders, Palestinian officials and political analysts.
As Israel pulled back in Gaza last week, Hamas stepped in, with violence marked by at least one public execution and clashes with rival factions as the militant group tried to reassert control amid the ceasefire in the war-torn territory. The message was clear: We are still here. But Gaza is home to numerous clans and militant groups, with score-settling and criminality posing a threat to order in the Palestinian enclave even after the ceasefire. Video appeared to show masked gunmen executing several men in a Gaza City street. In the footage, at least six people could be seen being forced to their knees, with their shirts pulled over their heads, before being shot. In other footage, at least two of the people carrying out the executions appeared to be wearing the green headbands typically worn by Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades.
For any future peace, here’s what Gaza needs to do
Trump’s 20-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza has strong support from Israel, Europe, the Muslim world, and much of the international community. The US has put forward a framework that prioritizes Israel’s security and blocks Hamas from playing any future role in Gaza. In short, the plan’s success depends on Hamas.
Hamas needs to accept a constructive path forward—an acceptance that will determine whether this opportunity for peace becomes a reality. Diplomatic pressure on the terror group is now at an all-time high.
If the international community can impose enough pressure on Hamas and force it to disarm, put in a temporary force to police and govern Gaza, and ensure that Hamas no longer rules Gaza, there is hope that peace can settle in Gaza.
Uri Pilichowski is an author, speaker, and senior educator at institutions around the world.