In the weeks since a ceasefire took effect, Hamas has reasserted its power in areas vacated by Israeli forces, including by executing Palestinians it accused of collaborating or committing crimes. While Washington’s plan calls for Hamas’ disarmament and the creation of a transitional authority overseen by a multinational force, Gazans report that the group is entrenching itself rather than preparing to relinquish control. A dozen residents say authorities have increased oversight of supplies entering Hamas-held zones, levying fees on some imported goods such as fuel and cigarettes and fining merchants suspected of raising prices unfairly. Three local merchants with direct knowledge say Hamas monitors checkpoints, stops trucks and records all shipments as part of a widening economic grip.
Hamas denies implementing new taxes. Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of the group’s media office, insists Hamas is only managing urgent administrative and humanitarian needs while working to stabilize prices. He reiterated that the group remains willing to hand authority to a technocratic interim government to prevent chaos, although many Gazans and political rivals doubt that claim. Business owners say uncertainty and shortages keep prices in constant flux, with one shopper comparing the market to a “stock exchange” where rates shift daily. With limited income and winter approaching, residents say survival has grown increasingly difficult despite a recent uptick in aid.
The U.S. plan, negotiated under President Donald Trump, secured the Oct. 10 ceasefire and the release of the final living hostages taken during the Hamas-led assault on Israel in October 2023. It envisions a transitional governing body, international security forces and large-scale reconstruction. But Reuters reported that efforts to implement the arrangement are faltering, raising the likelihood of a de facto partition as Israeli forces remain stationed in more than half of Gaza. Nearly all of Gaza’s two million people live in areas controlled by Hamas, which ousted the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Washington says the recent reports from residents demonstrate why “Hamas cannot and will not govern Gaza,” and U.S. officials insist a new administration will be formed once the United Nations approves the transition plan.
Yet both Fatah, which seeks a role in Gaza’s future leadership, and Israel, which opposes PA control, disagree on what that new government should look like. Fatah spokesperson Munther al-Hayek says Hamas’ behavior shows it fully intends to remain in power. Analysts agree, arguing that the longer international actors delay implementing the plan, the deeper Hamas embeds itself. Hamas has already replaced regional governors and members of its politburo killed in the war and continues to pay salaries—albeit reduced and standardized—to its roughly 50,000 prewar employees using stockpiled funds, according to diplomats and economists.
Activists in Gaza say Hamas is using the political vacuum to strengthen its rule while smaller Palestinian groups challenge its authority in areas under Israeli control. Until an alternative body is installed, they expect Hamas to maintain and consolidate its power, leaving ordinary Gazans to navigate soaring prices, strict checkpoints and a government that records every shipment and movement as it prepares for whatever political arrangement comes next.
