Hamas and the Future of Gaza (with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib)

Gaza’s political and social future hinges on the emergence of Palestinian agency and the rejection of Hamas’s destructive governance. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gazan-American analyst, contends that the majority of Gazans have turned against Hamas due to its corruption, reliance on jihadi nihilism, and the catastrophic consequences of the October 7th attacks. He advocates for a transition toward a non-factional, technocratic administration that prioritizes nation-building and regional integration over the failed "resistance" narrative. To break the cycle of violence and aid dependency, Alkhatib proposes a "Great Reset"—a 100-day window of zero violence and direct, transparent diplomacy between Palestinians and Israelis. This approach seeks to replace the current reliance on external mediators with a new cadre of professional leadership, ultimately aiming to transform Gaza into a model for successful Palestinian self-governance and peaceful coexistence.