WSJ: Hamas Effectively Returns to Control Gaza

The Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas has begun deploying thousands of its forces across the streets of Gaza to reassert control, following the retreat of Israeli forces as the ceasefire agreement came into effect.

This deployment highlights Hamas’ continued dominance in the region, as Israel failed to either destroy the movement or establish an alternative authority.

On Sunday, Hamas reaffirmed its authority by parading armed militants in military uniforms through the streets, flashing victory signs to cheering crowds. When Hamas handed over the first Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, Arab mediators observed members of Hamas’ elite unit fully armed and in military attire.

The public show of strength, following months of operating underground, signals that humanitarian organizations and governments will need to work with Hamas as reconstruction efforts begin in the coming weeks—a reality Israel had hoped to avoid.

Gershon Baskin, a former Israeli hostage negotiator and now Middle East director for the International Communities Organization, stated: “Hamas’ visible armed presence is a slap in the face to the Israeli government and military. It underscores that Israel’s goals for the war were never achievable.”

The fragile truce between Israel and Hamas has halted one of the most devastating wars in modern Middle Eastern history, which left much of Gaza in ruins and claimed approximately 47,000 lives.

If the ceasefire holds, it could reduce regional tensions after over a year of conflict that drew in the United States, Iran, and their allied militias across the Middle East. However, it raises critical questions about how Gaza will be governed post-war.

Chaos in Gaza Amid the War

During the 15-month-long conflict, Israel targeted Hamas in parts of Gaza before moving operations elsewhere, creating power vacuums that descended into chaos. Militants scrambled to reorganize, while criminal gangs fought for control. This lack of order disrupted aid deliveries and introduced new threats to ordinary Palestinians, already suffering from violence and deprivation.

The U.S. and Israeli security establishments reportedly pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to develop a plan for Gaza’s governance after the war, but none has materialized. While the Palestinian Authority (PA), which oversees parts of the occupied West Bank, expressed willingness to assume control, Netanyahu—an opponent of the two-state solution—resists the idea. In the meantime, Hamas has stepped in to fill the void.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar commented on Sunday that the current agreement is only a temporary ceasefire, and the war’s permanent resolution depends on Hamas relinquishing power in later negotiations. He added, “There is no future for peace, stability, and security for both sides if Hamas remains in power.”

Ceasefire Agreement Details

Under the ceasefire deal reached last week, Hamas-controlled police will manage law and order among Palestinians and oversee the return of displaced Gazans to their homes in northern Gaza. Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been internally displaced.

Hamas police are restricted from approaching Israeli forces or entering buffer zones near the border fence, per security protocols agreed upon by Hamas, Israel, and the mediators. Officers will only be permitted to carry weapons when necessary and will be monitored by Egyptian and other Arab observers stationed at 13 locations across Gaza. Egypt, alongside Qatar and the United States, played a key role in brokering the agreement.

As part of the deal, Hamas police will wear distinctive blue uniforms, with their numbers adjusted based on population density in different areas.

An Israeli security official noted that while the presence of armed Hamas members on Gaza’s streets does not violate the ceasefire, any attempt to rearm or pose a threat to Israelis would breach the agreement.

Aid Deliveries and Hamas’ Role

One critical focus of the ceasefire’s initial phase is the significant increase in aid entering Gaza. Hamas has been tasked with patrolling major roads and escorting aid convoys alongside the UN to ensure safe delivery.

During the war, criminal gangs widely looted aid convoys. Increasing supplies under the ceasefire is expected to reduce this by making goods less valuable to thieves, while Hamas police presence will deter criminal activities.

Sam Rose, a senior official with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—the largest aid organization in Gaza—said in a phone interview from the region: “Security forces have returned to the streets and are now visibly stationed at key intersections, something they couldn’t do for months without risking their lives.” Rose noted that the volume of aid delivered to Gaza on Sunday exceeded what humanitarian agencies typically managed to bring in during an entire week of fighting.

Tensions Around Hamas’ Governance

Frustration with Hamas has grown in Gaza as the war continued. On social media, Palestinians urged Hamas to accept the ceasefire deal even if it meant conceding some of its demands. Prominent community leaders, business figures, and influential families have appealed to the Palestinian Authority to reclaim control of the territory.

Israeli officials, past and present, have proposed various plans for Gaza’s governance post-war. Most involve some form of Arab or multinational administration working with Palestinian representatives. Senior Israeli defense officials have repeatedly stated that the Palestinian Authority remains the only viable alternative.

Last week, former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed a plan for the Palestinian Authority to eventually govern and secure Gaza.

The Palestinian Authority, which has polled poorly in the West Bank, governed Gaza until Hamas ousted it in 2007. Recently, it has attempted to reassert itself amid renewed power struggles with Hamas.

The rivalry has occasionally turned violent. Hamas arrested Palestinian Authority officials in Gaza last year, while the Palestinian Authority has intensified its crackdown on Hamas activists in the West Bank.

Still, some signs of cooperation have emerged. Hamas has agreed to relinquish control over the crucial Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, enabling Palestinian Authority officials to manage it alongside Egypt and the European Union.

Hamas’ Military Capabilities

Hamas currently monopolizes the use of force in Gaza. Before the war, Israel estimated Hamas’ forces at up to 30,000 fighters, organized into 24 battalions resembling a formal army. Israeli military officials claim to have killed around 17,000 Hamas fighters, including its leader Yahya Sinwar, and detained thousands more.

While Hamas has not disclosed its losses, it has restructured its ranks and recruited new members under the leadership of Yahya Sinwar’s younger brother, Mohammed. Israel believes several Hamas battalions remain intact in central Gaza, where military activity was less intense.

Baskin remarked: “I’m not convinced Hamas believes it can continue ruling Gaza in the long term, but for now, there’s no one else on the ground to take over.”