US says matter of Hamas’s role in post-war Gaza will be focus of future negotiations

Asked whether the hostage deal ensures that Hamas will no longer be in power at the end of the Gaza war, US State Department spokesperson Matthew says this is a matter to be determined in negotiations between Israel and Hamas when they regroup next month for negotiations on the terms of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

Miller clarifies that the US remains committed “to ensuring that Hamas never again resumes governing Gaza,” adding that such a scenario is similarly a dealbreaker for Israel. “I would hope that it would be a deal breaker for the Palestinian people as well.”

Egypt has been brokering talks between the various Palestinian factions about establishing an interim committee of technocrats that will administer Gaza after the war. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party is insisting that Hamas cannot have any ties to the committee and that the terror group put down its arms and allow the PA to solely manage the security of Gaza. The sides have yet to reach an agreement on the matter.