Iran abandoned its Palestinian proxy during the war with America. Now, Israeli nationalists are exploiting the situation, and pushing hardline demands in Gaza.
Details. At the end of July, Hamas agreed to disarm (on condition that Israel fulfills its part of the deal) and announced the dissolution of its Gaza government, transferring civil administration to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). They claimed this was for “the sake of our people”, assuring that "Israel will not intervene in the issue of disarmament. The [NCAG] is the body that will undertake this task".
► Since last year, the UN has authorised the American-led “Board of Peace” (BoP) to execute its Gaza peace plan – transferring civil and military control of the Palestinian territory to “neutral” bodies: the International Stabilization Force (ISF) and the NCAG, which the BoP oversees.
► In July, US President Trump announced a 15-point peace roadmap, which calls for Hamas to hand over all heavy and police weaponry to the NCAG, while Israel’s army withdraws from Gaza.
► Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu recently rejected the proposed roadmap, on the grounds that Hamas must disarm first before Israeli troops withdraw. In opposition to the peace plan, three Israeli far-right government ministers again called to destroy Hamas by force, ethnically cleanse Gaza, and annex the territory for Jewish colonization.
Context. The Iran war has led to major regional shifts in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia moving closer to the United States, joint Gulf-state bombings of Iran, consolidation of a new Sunni bloc, and growing tensions between Israel and the West. As the US and world focused on the Strait of Hormuz, Israel found an opportunity to pressure Hamas into surrendering.
► Iran delivered no demands regarding Hamas' status during ceasefire negotiations with the US, despite its earlier rhetoric of “defending Gaza”. Iran’s 14-point peace proposal covered various issues, but left out Palestine. The US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding called only for a ceasefire “on all fronts, including in Lebanon”, directly protecting Iran’s other proxy Lebanese Hezbollah.
► The former leading Palestinian militant group, Fatah, historically also laid down its arms and surrendered to Israel. At the US-led 1993 Oslo Accords, the movement accepted an offer for “statehood” – establishing the Palestinian Authority (PA), which controls small areas of the West Bank. The PA now operates a collaboration force for the Israeli occupation there, as Fatah leaders enjoy wealth whilst Palestinian workers live in poverty.
Important to Know. Islamist Hamas has never been a force that defended the Palestinian people. The group's attack on October 7 deliberately exposed millions of Palestinians to Israeli military retaliation. Raised by the Israeli bourgeoisie, Hamas – despite abandoning “resistance” and dissolving its government – may still seek to maintain its power over Palestinians, like Fatah did.
► Tehran previously used Hamas (and similar proxies) to expand its military control over the Middle East, securing profits for Iranian capitalists. The Islamic Republic exploited outrage over the Gaza genocide for propaganda, presenting its own imperialism as “resistance”. However, regime newspapers now recognize the failure of Hamas, as Iran increasingly distances itself from the beleaguered group.
► Israeli imperialism is taking advantage of its military success to push for a full annexation of Gaza. With elections coming up, Israel’s politicians are competing over the most aggressive rhetoric about Gaza, hoping to gain Jewish nationalist votes. October 7 facilitated wartime fascisation in Israel, as chauvinist propaganda and militarism intensify. Most recently, Israeli lawmakers introduced mandatory death sentences for Palestinian prisoners, whilst the National Security Minister publicly claimed that Gazans are “not even human” and “don’t deserve to live”.