Hamas debates transitioning to a Palestinian political party
Palestinians watch as Hamas stands guard during a captive release in February 2025. (via AP)
Several Hamas leaders inside and outside Gaza have suggested forming a political party aligned with a national Islamic political approach, which participates in political, economic, and public life, according to sources from the group, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on November 25th.
The proposal comes as Hamas discusses its political future after two years of war in Gaza. A senior Hamas figure outside Gaza said that the debate came about “after a relatively stable political period inside the movement following the ceasefire agreement.”
The proposal to form a political party has already been submitted to the political bureau, the Shura Council, which is the supreme leadership council of Hamas, and other bodies within the group.
The sources said that Hamas wants to establish a political party similar to existing political parties that represent a nationwide Islamic approach in a political context. The proposal pushes for “a comprehensive Palestinian reconciliation that secures this project, including participation in the Palestine Liberation Organization while working to reorganize and restructure it through a broad national agreement that allows for the inclusion of all parties, and restores the Palestinian political system’s relevance.”
The Hamas sources added that this idea is part of their review following the war, in which, Hamas had faced assassinations of its leaders, leading to an assessment of the group’s internal and external realities, as well as the conditions imposed by the ceasefire which was implemented in October 2025.
A senior Hamas official abroad said that the initiative reflects their need to adapt politically, not necessarily to disarm; “[It] is not essentially about the weapons of the resistance. It is more about the need to adapt to the political shifts in the region in a way that prevents the elimination of Hamas as a Palestinian movement that has waged many struggles, especially after Israel’s military machine failed to achieve that goal.”
The source said the group is ready to discuss weapons as they have done so with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as the United States. However, the source said that any agreement on weapons must be made through a Palestinian national consensus, with no Israeli involvement and no foreign forces forcibly disarming Hamas.
“That could lead to an undesirable and dangerous state of chaos that the movement does not want. Hamas seeks consensus on the next steps under the ceasefire agreement, whether at the national level or with the mediators, the United States and the international community,” the source said.
According to Palestinian sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, Palestinian factions and the Hamas leadership do not want a prolonged conflict, but Israel continues to violate the ceasefire. “The factions want to reach a long-term truce, which they hope to achieve through the current agreement, although they were aiming for a better deal,” they added.
As the Palestinian Authority (PA) seeks a role in governing Gaza, Hamas had hinted its conditional support for their role over foreign powers. In an interview with Maghrebi, Dr Simon Waldman, from the Department of War Studies and the Defence Studies Department of King’s College London, said that the PA might end up superseding Hamas.
But Hamas has a significant influence in Gaza. Dr Waldman added that, as Hamas has links to the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), it is a part of providing services for Palestinians. He added that even if Hamas is disarmed, “as an entity providing services it will not be defeated, and then politically, it can re-emerge.”
Asharq Al-Awsat, Maghrebi.org
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