Copyright ynetnews
As the smoke clears following the end of fighting in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian leaders are facing one of their hardest challenges yet: governing the devastated territory and laying the groundwork for stable civilian life. But even before a temporary administrative committee could be formed under a plan backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, new disputes have already emerged between the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah — exposing the deep political rifts that have long divided the Palestinian system. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu, speaking from Doha last week, outlined the terrorist group’s plan: the creation of a 45-member administrative committee composed entirely of independent technocrats with no political affiliation. According to al-Nunu, the list was jointly approved by all Palestinian factions at a meeting in Cairo about two and a half weeks ago. Egypt, he said, would select the final members, who would also oversee certain security-related matters, without direct political interference. The Cairo meeting, which Fatah chose not to attend, reportedly resulted in an agreement to continue the ceasefire and to form both a temporary administrative committee and an international oversight body to manage reconstruction and financial aid for Gaza. However, tensions quickly surfaced over who would chair the committee after Israeli media reported that human rights activist Amjad al-Shawa had been chosen for the role — a claim later denied. Sources within the Palestine Liberation Organization told ynet that the PLO refuses to participate in any initiative to appoint a governor or administrative body for Gaza unless the committee is chaired by a sitting minister in the Palestinian Authority government. “We will not legitimize a precedent that undermines the standing of the Palestinian leadership,” one source said, emphasizing that maintaining unified Palestinian representation is a basic condition for any political process. The sources added that the names proposed — whether by Hamas, Israel or Arab states — are merely technical details. “The Palestinian people number about 14 million, and they cannot be defined by a single group acting out of narrow interests,” they said. Fatah spokesman Abd al-Fattah Doleh said the movement does not object to the proposed candidates, provided the committee is composed of professionals from Gaza. But, he added, legitimacy requires that its chair be a minister in the legally recognized Palestinian government. Profiles of leading candidates Faten Harb — The first woman in Gaza to hold the title mukhtara, or community elder, a traditional Arab role that mediates between residents and authorities and helps resolve local disputes. A mother of four, Harb is an academic and social mediator who leads reconciliation initiatives involving inheritance, divorce and family conflicts. Officially recognized as a mukhtara in 2015, she was named “Woman of the Year” by the Sidat al-Ard organization in 2018. Her work is seen as a symbol of gradual social change in Gaza. Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan — An ophthalmologist born in Gaza in 1955, Abu Ramadan graduated from Ain Shams University in Cairo and is a member of royal medical councils in the United Kingdom. He served as mayor of Gaza from 2005 to 2008 and chaired the Association of Local Authorities. In March 2024, he was appointed Palestinian health minister in the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. Amjad al-Shawa — A human rights activist and director of the Palestinian NGO Network. Recent reports suggested he had been proposed to head the new committee, but those reports were denied. Al-Shawa said he was unaware of any official nomination, adding, “I will support any committee that seeks to ease the suffering of Gaza’s residents.” Nasser al-Qudwa — A veteran Fatah diplomat and former PLO representative to the United Nations. Widely viewed as a technocrat acceptable to the international community, al-Qudwa currently holds no government position, making his appointment unlikely. Samir Khalila — A Palestinian businessman with extensive economic experience and a former CEO of a holding company in the West Bank. Considered politically independent, Khalila is currently imprisoned in territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority, significantly reducing his chances of appointment. Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk said the terrorist group had agreed that “a minister from the Palestinian Authority will manage the Gaza Strip — for the good of our people.” Given the list of candidates, Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan appears to be the leading contender, as he is the only current minister in the Palestinian government. Abu Marzouk also addressed the U.S. proposal to deploy an international stabilization force in Gaza with authority to demilitarize the territory. “We cannot accept a military force that would replace the Israeli army in Gaza,” he said. “It will be difficult to pass a Security Council resolution establishing such a force under the American plan.”
