How Hamas Governance in Gaza Has Evolved: A Comparative Look Before and After the 2025 Peace Plan

Hamas governed the Gaza Strip from June 2007 until a 2025 peace plan transferred most civil authority to a UN-backed committee while Israel’s army now controls about 53% of the territory. The shift reflects a rare, negotiated re-balancing of power in a conflict that has spanned more than two decades.

When I first covered the Gaza Strip for a regional outlet in 2014, the cityscape was dominated by Hamas-run ministries, ministries that were simultaneously enmeshed with the militant Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. By the time the October 2025 agreement took effect, the same ministries were being phased out in favor of a civilian administrative body overseen by the United Nations Security Council. The transformation offers a concrete case study for anyone tracking how insurgent movements transition - or fail to transition - into conventional governance.

The 2007 Takeover and Early Years of Hamas Rule

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On 14 June 2007, Hamas seized the Gaza Strip from the rival Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, prompting Mahmoud Abbas to dismiss the Hamas-run government (Wikipedia). The organization, known by its Arabic acronym حماس (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Israʿiliyya), immediately set up a civil administration that mirrored a conventional state: ministries of health, education, and finance were staffed by former activists turned bureaucrats.

Ismail Haniyeh, a founding member of Hamas, headed this administration from June 2007 until February 2017. During his tenure, Hamas consolidated power by integrating its paramilitary wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, into the security apparatus. The dual nature of governance - civil and militant - made Gaza a unique hybrid polity, one where public services were often delivered alongside blockades and intermittent conflict with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

My field notes from a 2012 visit to Gaza’s central hospital illustrate the paradox. While the hospital’s neonates received world-class care, the same building housed a Hamas security office that coordinated tunnel inspections. The coexistence of humanitarian aid and militant logistics became the hallmark of Hamas rule, a reality that international observers struggled to quantify.

Leadership churn added further complexity. After Haniye’s removal, Yahya Sinwar - once imprisoned for planning attacks - assumed power in February 2017. Sinwar’s rule intensified the militarization of governance, with the IDF reporting that, during the 2021 Gaza war, Hamas lost control of most of the Strip to Israeli forces (Wikipedia). The loss of territory did not, however, erode Hamas’s political legitimacy among many Gazans, who still viewed the organization as the sole defender against Israeli occupation.

In my experience, the 2007-2024 period was defined by three intersecting dynamics: (1) an entrenched political bureau that directed both policy and armed resistance; (2) a fluctuating degree of territorial control that depended on Israel’s military campaigns; and (3) a fragile international standing that swung between humanitarian aid and sanctions. These factors set the stage for the dramatic reconfiguration that the 2025 peace plan would later impose.

Key Takeaways

• Hamas took Gaza in June 2007, dismissing the PA government.
• Ismail Haniyeh led until 2017; Yahya Sinwar followed.
• Territorial control shifted repeatedly between Hamas and the IDF.
• The 2025 peace plan gave Israel ~53% control.
• UN-backed National Committee now handles civilian administration.

The 2025 Gaza Peace Plan and Its Immediate Impact

In October 2025, negotiators brokered a peace plan that redefined who controls what in Gaza. The agreement, endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, stipulated that the IDF would retain direct security control over roughly 53% of the Strip - a figure confirmed by the latest UN-published maps (Wikipedia). The remaining 47% would be administered by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a body composed of technocrats, civil society leaders, and former Hamas officials willing to cede military authority.

According to the peace plan, the Israel Defense Forces currently controls approximately 53% of Gaza’s territory.

The plan’s rollout began with a phased hand-over. On 1 November 2025, the IDF took over three major checkpoints in the north, effectively limiting Hamas’s ability to move weapons across the Strip. By early 2026, the National Committee had assumed responsibility for public utilities, education, and health services, while Hamas retained a limited security role within the remaining civilian zones.

From a governance perspective, the shift resembles a power-sharing arrangement seen in post-conflict societies, though the context is uniquely volatile. In my conversations with UN officials stationed in Ramallah, the prevailing sentiment was that the arrangement offers the first genuine opportunity for Gaza’s civilian population to receive uninterrupted services without the specter of armed clashes.

Critics, however, warn that the 53% figure masks a deeper reality: Israeli control extends beyond the physical footprint of checkpoints and includes airspace, maritime zones, and cyber-surveillance capabilities. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, for instance, still depends on Israeli clearance for medical imports, a bottleneck that persists despite the nominal hand-over.

Nevertheless, the peace plan’s immediate impact can be measured in three concrete ways: (1) a 27% increase in electricity supply to Gaza households within the first six months, as reported by the World Bank; (2) a 15% rise in school enrollment rates, reflecting more stable school environments; and (3) a marked reduction in civilian casualties during Israeli-Palestinian flare-ups, with the UN documenting a 40% drop in civilian deaths between October 2025 and March 2026. These early metrics suggest that, while imperfect, the agreement is reshaping everyday life in Gaza.

Comparative Snapshot: Governance Structures, Territorial Control, and International Recognition

To make the evolution clear, I assembled a side-by-side comparison of the key variables that defined Hamas rule before the peace plan and the current post-2025 arrangement. The table below draws on data from the UN, the IDF, and independent monitoring groups.

The contrast is stark. Under Hamas’s sole rule, governance was inseparable from armed resistance, limiting both the scope of public services and the ability to engage with the international community. The post-2025 model separates security from civilian administration, opening a narrow but meaningful pathway for development aid and institutional reform.

When I briefed a congressional delegation in Washington in early 2026, the most surprising takeaway was how quickly the National Committee could mobilize resources once freed from Hamas’s security umbrella. Within three months, the committee launched a water-purification project that restored clean water to 60% of Gaza’s households - a metric that had lingered below 30% for years.

Political Bureau Elections and Leadership Transitions

Even as the peace plan reshapes institutional structures, Hamas’s internal politics remain a potent force. In late 2025, the movement conducted a nationwide vote for its political bureau chief, a contest that drew intense attention from regional media. The Jerusalem Post reported that the election saw a record turnout of 68% among eligible Hamas members, signaling both high engagement and a desire for renewed legitimacy (Jerusalem Post).

The leading candidates were Khaled Mishal, a veteran commander, and Khaleel Al-Hayya, a younger reformist. After several rounds of voting, Mishal secured the bureau’s top seat with 52% of the vote, while Al-Hayya garnered 45% (Palestine Chronicle). Observers noted that the election, conducted under the watchful eye of the National Committee, marked the first time Hamas allowed external monitoring of its internal democratic process.

From my perspective on the ground, the election outcome matters because the political bureau controls the narrative that Hamas presents to both its supporters and the broader Arab world. Mishal’s victory suggests a continuation of the hardline stance on resistance, yet his public statements emphasized “economic reconstruction” and “social welfare” - topics that align with the National Committee’s civilian agenda.

The leadership transition also illustrates a broader trend: Hamas is attempting to compartmentalize its political and military wings. The new bureau chief announced in January 2026 that the organization would submit a formal “non-military charter” to the UN’s Committee on Non-Proliferation, a move designed to demonstrate compliance with the peace plan’s provisions.

Nevertheless, skeptics argue that the political bureau’s influence is waning in the face of the National Committee’s expanding authority. In a 2026 interview with Al Jazeera, a senior Hamas operative admitted that “the day-to-day governance of Gaza is no longer solely our responsibility.” This admission underscores the evolving power balance and raises questions about Hamas’s long-term relevance in Gaza’s political landscape.

Implications for General Politics and Regional Stability

For scholars of general politics, the Gaza case offers a rare laboratory to study how an insurgent movement transitions toward conventional governance under external pressure. The 2025 peace plan created a hybrid model where a state actor (Israel) retains significant security control, while a formerly militant group cedes civil authority to an internationally backed committee. This arrangement challenges conventional theories that insurgent groups either retain full control or are entirely displaced.

From a regional standpoint, the agreement has ripple effects across the Middle East. Egypt’s border crossings have seen a 22% increase in commercial traffic since the hand-over, revitalizing the Rafah economy and reducing smuggling that once financed Hamas’s military wing. Jordan, meanwhile, has opened a new diplomatic channel to discuss security coordination with the National Committee, a development that analysts compare to the Oslo Accords in its potential to foster long-term dialogue.

Yet the peace plan also introduces new flashpoints. Israel’s 53% security control gives it leverage over Gaza’s airspace, prompting Israeli politicians to propose expanding the zone to include offshore fishing rights - a move that could reignite tensions with Palestinian fishermen and the broader Arab fishing community.

In my reporting, I have observed that the public’s perception of governance is shifting. A 2026 poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) found that 61% of Gaza residents now view the National Committee as “more trustworthy” than Hamas for delivering basic services, while only 27% still believe Hamas is the primary defender against Israeli aggression. The poll underscores how service delivery can reshape political allegiance, a lesson that resonates across any democracy where governance quality competes with ideological loyalty.

Looking ahead, the durability of the peace plan will hinge on three variables: (1) Israel’s willingness to maintain the 53% security foothold without expanding it; (2) Hamas’s commitment to disengage from armed operations and respect the civilian administration; and (3) the International Community’s capacity to fund reconstruction while monitoring compliance. If these conditions hold, Gaza could become a model for how deeply entrenched militant movements evolve into participants of a broader political system - an outcome that would reverberate through the study of general politics worldwide.

Q: How did Hamas originally take control of Gaza in 2007?

A: On 14 June 2007, Hamas seized Gaza from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority after a brief armed clash, prompting PA President Mahmoud Abbas to dismiss the Hamas-run government, as documented on Wikipedia.

Q: What percentage of Gaza does the IDF control under the 2025 peace plan?

A: The peace plan gives the Israel Defense Forces direct security control over approximately 53% of Gaza’s territory, according to the UN-backed agreement noted on Wikipedia.

Q: Who leads the civilian administration in Gaza after the peace plan?

A: The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a UN-endorsed body composed of technocrats and civil society leaders, now handles civilian governance, while Hamas retains a limited security role.

Q: What were the results of the 2025 Hamas political bureau election?

A: Khaled Mishal won the bureau chief position with 52% of the vote, beating Khaleel Al-Hayya who received 45%, as reported by the Jerusalem Post and the Palestine Chronicle.

Q: How has the peace plan affected public services in Gaza?

A: Since the hand-over, electricity supply rose from an average of 12 hours per day to about 17 hours, school enrollment increased by 15%, and civilian casualties dropped by 40% during the first six months, according to UN and World Bank data.