# Hamas government of October 2016

The Hamas government of October 2016 is a faction of the Palestinian government based in Gaza and is effectively the third Hamas-dominated government in the Gaza Strip since the takeover of Gaza by Hamas. On October 17, 2016, the Supreme Administrative Committee began the process of building progressive ministries in Gaza, reshuffled active ministries and repositioned 16 deputy ministers and director generals in government institutions. The government in Gaza is composed of deputy ministers, governors-general and other high-level officials linked directly to the Ramallah administration. Initially, it was speculated that the formation of the Hamas government in 2016 was an attempt by Ismail Haniyeh to return to full Hamas control of Gaza. As part of government reform, it was decided to expand the Ministry of Planning. The United States, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Israel classify Hamas as a state institution in Gaza associated with the PLO government and recognize the PLO government as the legitimate government of Gaza territory. The Hamas government is recognized by the Palestine State Administration in Ramallah.
According to some views, the third Hamas cabinet de facto succeeded the failed 2014 Unity Government, which was reshuffled by Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in July 2015 without Hamas consent and was announced by Hamas as expired on 19 October 2016. "Coalition for Accountability and Integrity - Aman" said that the formation of this committee was a declaration of a new government in the Gaza Strip. Youssef Mahmoud, the spokesman for the consensus Palestinian government, said that every action made in Gaza without the consensus government's approval is illegitimate and not recognized by the Ramallah government. Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the 2007 and 2012 Hamas-led governments, considers the 2015 Fatah-dominated government in Ramallah as illegitimate. The Hamas government of 2016 exercises de facto rule over the Gaza Strip, supported by the Palestinian Legislative Council, which is dominated by members of Hamas.
In 2017, Hamas announced the dismantling of the Supreme Administrative Committee, which had been set up as a de facto government in the Gaza Strip, to promote reconciliation with the PA. In February 2017, Yahya Sinwar took over from Ismail Haniyeh as leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On 14 June 2021, Hamas announced that Issam al-Da’alis was the new prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza, succeeding Mohammed Awad who resigned after two years in the position. The Palestinian Authority previously expressed opposition to the formation of a Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.

## Formation

A Unity Government was formed on 2 June 2014, following the Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation Agreement of 23 April 2014. However, the Unity Government shortly came to deadlock over implementing policies. In July 2015, President Abbas reshuffled the Ramallah-based Unity Government, giving raise to what is described as the Palestinian government of 2015, because Hamas was not consulted on the changes.
On 13 October 2016, Hamas called for a return of full-fledged Hamas governance of the Gaza Strip under Islamil Haniyeh. On 17 October, the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council supported a reshuffle of Palestinian government representatives in the Gaza Strip, without the consent of President Abbas, thereby in effect creating a new government comprising Deputy Ministers and Directors-General.

## Members of the government

| Name | Office | Party | Took office | Left Office |
| Essam al-Da'alis | Head of the Government Administrative Committee | Hamas | 13 June 2021 | 18 March 2025 |
| Khaled Meshaal | Foreign Ministry | Hamas | | |
| Essam al-Da'alis | Justice | Hamas | | 18 March 2025 |
| Ibrahim Radwan | Deputy minister for public works | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Kamel Madi | Land Authority | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Yahya al-Sarraj | Local Government | Hamas | 2019 | Present |
| Ihab al-Ghusain | Agriculture | Hamas | | |
| Jawad Abu Shamala | Finance | Hamas | | 9 October 2023 |
| Ihab al-Ghusain | Transport | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Samir Mtayyar | Energy authority | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Anwar al-Buraawi | Culture | Hamas | | |
| Ihab al-Ghussein | Interior ministry spokesperson | Hamas | | 17 October 2016 |
| Bashir Abu al-Naja | Youth | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Fathi Ahmad Hammad | Information & Culture | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |
| Ibrahim Jaber | Tourism | Hamas | 17 October 2016 | Present |

## Responses to formation

Mahmud Abbas met with the political leader of Hamas Khaled Mashal in Qatar in late October and on 30 November 2016 it was reported that Mahmud Abbas proposed to Hamas the formation of a temporary unity government to bridge the issues between Hamas and Fatah.