From the Liveblog of
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Gaza Palestinian technocratic committee says it will pursue ‘peace, democracy, and justice’
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In a mission statement published by its top official, the new committee of Palestinian technocrats that will be tasked with running daily affairs in Gaza says it is committed to peace, economic development and seeking Palestinian self-determination.
The 12-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy planning minister Ali Shaath. It held its first meeting in Cairo on Thursday.
Today, as my first official act, I adopted and signed the NCAG Mission Statement, affirming our governing mandate and operating principles:
Authorized by the UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and President Donald J. Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan, the National Committee for the… pic.twitter.com/WJJZLtW356
— Dr. Ali Shaath (@AliShaathNCAG) January 17, 2026
Shaath posts on X that he adopted and signed the committee’s mission statement, which says it is “dedicated to transforming the transitional period in Gaza into a foundation for lasting Palestinian prosperity.”
The statement says the committee’s “mission is to rebuild the Gaza Strip not just in infrastructure but also in spirit.”
It continues, “We are committed to establishing security, restoring the essential services that form the bedrock of human dignity such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education, as well as cultivating a society rooted in peace, democracy, and justice. Operating with the highest standards of integrity and transparency, the NCAG will forge a productive economy capable of replacing unemployment with opportunity for all.”
“We embrace peace, through which we strive to secure the path to true Palestinian rights and self determination,” it concludes.
Shaath is an engineer by trade and has proposed pushing the vast amounts of Gaza rubble into the adjacent Mediterranean Sea to expand the Strip’s territory amid a dire housing crisis for a population that has been overwhelmingly displaced by the war.
Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.