Trump Administration Gaza Governance Plan 2026: The Perils of Excluding Hamas and Fatah

The ceasefire is entering its second stage, but the peace remains a fragile spectacle. According to Reuters, US presidential envoy Steven Witkoff announced that the Trump administration has unveiled a foreign executive committee and a peace board to oversee a provisional administration in Gaza composed of technocrats.

Trump Administration Gaza Governance Plan 2026: A Vision Built on Exclusion

This new setup mirrors the demands of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insists that neither Hamas nor the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) should have a role in Gaza's future. While the PA is technically mentioned in the plan, it's tethered to vague requirements for "reforms" that critics say act as a convenient roadblock to their return.

The strategy's fatal flaw lies in its ignorance of the Palestinian social fabric. Israel's previous attempts to empower local alternatives have already backfired. For instance, Yasser Abu Shabab, a tribal figure with a criminal record who collaborated with Israel, was killed on December 4, 2025, leading to celebrations rather than mourning among the locals.

The Crisis of Legitimacy and Resistance

Legitimacy in Palestine can't be manufactured by foreign councils. Current data shows the PA holds an approval rating of just 23% in the West Bank, while President Mahmoud Abbas sits at a dismal 16%. Despite these low numbers for traditional factions, there's no evidence that the Palestinian public will accept an entity that operates under foreign guardianship.