Honestly, the headlines lately make it sound like Gaza is finally breathing a sigh of relief. You’ve probably seen them: "Phase Two Begins," or "Board of Peace Formed." But if you dig into the actual Hamas call for end of war statements coming out of Doha and Cairo this week, the reality is a lot more tangled than a simple white flag. We’re currently sitting in January 2026, and after two years of brutal, exhausting conflict, the rhetoric is shifting. But shifting toward what?
Last Sunday, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem dropped a bit of a bombshell on his Telegram channel. He basically said the group is ready to dissolve its own government in Gaza. Just like that. They’re calling for the "speeding up" of a new Palestinian technocratic committee to take over. On the surface, it looks like a total surrender of power. But if you've followed this conflict for more than five minutes, you know nothing is ever just "on the surface."
The Reality Behind the Hamas Call for End of War
When we talk about the Hamas call for end of war, we have to look at the "Trump Plan"—that 20-point framework that went into effect back in October 2025. We are now supposedly in "Phase Two."
What does that even mean?
Well, according to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, it means disarming Hamas and setting up a government of "experts" who aren't tied to any political party. Hamas says they’re down for it. They’ve even endorsed the idea of Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister, leading this new committee. But—and this is a massive "but"—they haven't actually agreed to hand over their guns.
Khalil al-Hayya, their top negotiator, has been clear: they’ll talk about "the issue of the resistance weapons," but they aren't just dumping them in the Mediterranean.
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Why the "Board of Peace" is Making Everyone Nervous
To manage this mess, the U.S. has set up something called the "Board of Peace." It’s a wild roster. You’ve got Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and even Tony Blair. President Trump basically said on X (formerly Twitter) that this board will oversee the "total demilitarization" of Gaza.
Hamas’s reaction? Kinda mixed.
- The "Positive" Spin: They’re calling the transition to technocratic rule a "positive development."
- The Hard Line: They’ve warned that if the International Stabilization Force (the troops supposed to replace the IDF) tries to forcibly disarm them, those troops will be treated as "parties to the conflict." In other words, targets.
- The Internal Conflict: Groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad are already calling the new committee an "Israeli specification" project.
It's a tightrope. Hamas is calling for an end to the war because, frankly, Gaza is unrecognizable. With over 70,000 dead since 2023 and the birth rate dropping by 41%, the "government" they’re dissolving barely has anything left to govern.
What People Get Wrong About "Dissolving the Government"
There’s this misconception that if Hamas dissolves its government, Hamas ceases to exist. That’s just not how it works.
By calling for an end to the war and offering to step aside for "technocrats," Hamas is effectively trying to trade its civil administrative headaches—paying for sewage, fixing power lines, managing hospitals—for political legitimacy. They want to remain a "resistance movement" while someone else deals with the $50 billion reconstruction bill.
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It’s a strategic pivot.
If the technocratic committee fails to feed people or rebuild homes, Hamas can stand on the sidelines and say, "See? We told you only we can protect you." Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing his own heat. His far-right allies, like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, are losing their minds over this deal. They think any plan that doesn't end with the total "erasure" of Hamas is a failure.
The Hostage Factor and the "Final Hostage"
We can't talk about the Hamas call for end of war without talking about the people still in the tunnels. Most of the hostages were released in Phase One (late 2025). But there is still "one final hostage" mentioned in recent reports.
Steve Witkoff has been blunt: return that person, or there will be "hell to pay."
Hamas is using this last bit of leverage to ensure that the IDF actually pulls back to the agreed-upon lines. Right now, it’s a stalemate. Israel says they won't fully pull out until disarmament starts; Hamas says they won't disarm until the pullout is finished. It’s the classic chicken-and-egg problem, only with thousands of lives in the balance.
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The Humanitarian Crisis That Can’t Wait for Phase Three
While the politicians argue about the "Board of Peace," Gaza is freezing. Literally. We’ve seen reports of newborns dying of hypothermia in tent camps in Deir al-Balah.
- The Numbers: Over 2 million people are squeezed into "safe zones" that aren't actually safe.
- The Aid Block: Israel recently announced it would ban several aid agencies, including Doctors Without Borders, from operating in certain areas starting in 2026.
- The Cost: The UN says it will take decades to clear the rubble.
When Hamas calls for an end to the war, they are responding to a population that has reached its absolute breaking point. Even the most hardened supporters of the "resistance" can't eat slogans.
Actionable Insights: What to Watch For Next
If you're trying to figure out if this Hamas call for end of war is real or just a breather before the next round, watch these three specific things:
- The Names on the Committee: If Ali Shaath actually takes office and starts hiring people, it’s a sign that the transition is moving. If the list of "technocrats" keeps getting vetoed by Israel or the U.S., the deal is dead.
- The "Board of Peace" Meeting: Watch for the first official meeting of Rubio, Kushner, and the others. If they can’t get Turkey and Qatar to sit at the same table and agree on a disarmament schedule, Phase Two will collapse.
- The Final Hostage Release: This is the ultimate "go/no-go" signal. If that last individual isn't returned by the end of January 2026, expect the IDF to resume high-intensity operations in southern Gaza.
This isn't a "happily ever after" moment. It's a "we're too tired to keep dying" moment. Whether that leads to a lasting peace or just a temporary silence depends entirely on whether the "Board of Peace" can actually build something more stable than the tunnels they're trying to destroy.
For anyone following this, the next step is to monitor the International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployment. If those troops—likely from countries like Turkey or Azerbaijan—actually start patrolling the streets without getting shot at, we might finally be looking at the beginning of the end. If not, 2026 is going to look a lot like 2024.