GAZA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Thursday reaffirmed its readiness to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a newly formed Palestinian technocratic committee and facilitate its mission.
"Hamas welcomed the formation of the committee and announced its readiness to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to the national transitional committee and facilitate its mission," senior Hamas official Basem Naim said in a statement.
Naim called the formation of the committee "an important step in implementing the agreement and a step in the right direction, both in terms of consolidating the ceasefire and avoiding a return to war, and in terms of alleviating the catastrophic humanitarian crisis and paving the way for comprehensive reconstruction."
He added that the committee's formation should mark the start of a Palestinian political process aimed at achieving unity, ending internal division, and transforming the temporary body into a national unity government that affirms Palestinian political and territorial unity.
Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye announced on Wednesday the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to administer the Gaza Strip.
A source close to the committee, speaking to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, said the body will consist of 15 members whose names were agreed upon by Palestinian parties as well as the United States and Israel.
On Wednesday, the U.S. administration announced the launch of the second phase of the Gaza peace deal, shifting focus from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction, U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff said on X. ■
