Hamas says it will dissolve Gaza government, but Israel warns group still seeks Hezbollah-style control

Hamas announced Monday that it was dissolving the emergency committee overseeing Gaza's civilian government, a move that could clear the way for a new U.S.-backed administration to take over civilian affairs.

The proposed body, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), is a U.S.-backed committee intended to oversee civilian affairs in Gaza after the war. 

Hamas, which the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist organization, has ruled Gaza since seizing control of the territory in 2007. The group led the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war, and Israel has insisted Hamas can have no governing or military role in post-war Gaza.

The announcement could therefore become a key test of President Donald Trump’s Gaza framework and broader regional diplomacy. A genuine transfer of power could help advance the establishment of a post-war administration. But Israel and Hamas’ critics say the group is offering to relinquish the burdens of civilian government while retaining its weapons, security apparatus and real influence on the ground.

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The Trump-led Board of Peace responded cautiously, saying its assessment would be "guided by actions, not promises." The technocratic committee, which is currently based outside Gaza, has said it is prepared to begin operating once conditions allow.

But the announcement did not include a commitment by Hamas to disarm, the central demand from Israel and a core element of Trump’s post-war framework.

Alaa Abo Naddi, a Gazan teacher and political activist, said that the committee Hamas is dissolving was never the source of its real authority.

"I believe this is simply an attempt by Hamas to buy time," Abo Naddi said. "The real question has always been whether Hamas is willing to give up its weapons and dismantle the armed groups and militias under its control." AJS: I'd move this up to maybe fourth graph. 

He said Gaza’s civilian officials have long operated without independent authority and remain subordinate to Hamas’ security apparatus.

"In reality, even a low-ranking Hamas security officer can overrule them or have them arrested," he said. "As long as Hamas retains its arms, this looks like an attempt to preserve its control and gain more time."

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Hadeel Oueis, editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab media outlet Jusoor News, similarly described the announcement as a "performative step" likely encouraged by one of Hamas’ regional backers.

Oueis said the move appeared intended to send Trump a message that Hamas had fulfilled its obligations and that Israel was now responsible for blocking the next phase of his plan.

"This is just a show and doesn’t change anything on the ground in reality," Oueis told Fox News Digital. 

She noted that technical employees are expected to remain in place during the transition, arguing that Hamas would therefore remain the de facto authority unless its security and military structures were removed.

Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center, also characterized the dissolution as largely symbolic but said its timing could signal a broader diplomatic effort.

Milshtein said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have been working with Hamas to develop a compromise that could move the stalled post-war arrangement forward, particularly on the issue of disarmament.

Rather than demanding the immediate and complete surrender of Hamas’ weapons, he said the mediators may be pushing for a gradual and partial process that Hamas could accept.

"I assess that the step Hamas took today is part of a move coordinated with Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, intended to begin advancing the broader arrangement," Milshtein told Fox News Digital.

He said Hamas had effectively thrown the ball into Israel’s court and could now argue that it had agreed to relinquish formal government control.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected that distinction Tuesday, accusing Hamas of trying to reproduce the model used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, where an armed organization maintains military dominance while civilian institutions handle government services.

"They don’t care if others collect the garbage, provide municipal services and administer civilian affairs, if Hamas will remain the dominant military force," Sa’ar said during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

Sa’ar said Israel would continue to insist on the "disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, and its full demilitarization."

Wadephul backed that position, saying Hamas must relinquish both its weapons and its de facto control of Gaza.

The United Nations also offered a cautiously positive response.

 U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the organization had taken note of Hamas’ announcement concerning the dissolution of the Government Emergency Committee and the proposed transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

"We welcome any step that contributes to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and advances the objectives reflected in relevant Security Council resolutions, including the full implementation of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid," Dujarric said.

He added that the U.N. continued to support "efforts toward unified Palestinian governance under the Palestinian Authority."

Milshtein said the real test would be whether the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is allowed to enter Gaza, operate independently and exercise genuine authority, while Hamas gives up not only its civilian role but also its security and military control.

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Video shows bomb rock Damascus hotel where French President Macron is staying during Syrian state visit

A pair of explosions rocked the Syrian capital of Damascus near the downtown Four Seasons hotel, where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during a state visit, Syrian state media reported Tuesday.

Eighteen people, including four police officers, were injured by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Tuesday, Syria's interior ministry reported through state outlet SANA.

According to the ministry, both bombs exploded after security forces had discovered them, "while preparations for the disposal operation were underway."

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The bombs were placed inside a car and a garbage can near the hotel where Macron was staying during his visit, the first Syrian state visit by the leader of a Western country since Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa took over for the now-deposed former President Bashar al-Assad in 2025.

A spokesman for Élysée Palace said Macron was not in his hotel during the explosions and didn't even hear them. He continued his visit with al-Sharaa, according to both Élysée Palace and SANA.

While not commenting on the explosions directly, Macron posted a statement on X shortly after the incident.

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"Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage, and determination. My visit continues," he wrote.

Syria's Ministry of the Interior confirmed the explosions but stressed that they were outside the security perimeter designated for Macron.

"We confirm that the explosion site is outside the security perimeter designated for the French president’s residence. It posed no direct threat to the residence or the official visit program, which is proceeding as planned," the ministry announced through SANA.

'PARCEL BOMB' EXPLODES IN MONACO RESIDENTIAL AREA, LEAVING 2 CRITICALLY INJURED: REPORTS

Macron is the first Western leader to meet with al-Sharaa in Damascus since he became the country's president in 2025. Some have criticized Western leaders, including President Donald Trump, who hosted al-Sharaa in the White House in November, for normalizing relations with al-Sharaa given his past as a fighter for the al Qaeda terrorist group.

Tuesday's explosions in Damascus were also the second and third major blasts in Damascus in less than a week.

On Monday, France's government condemned what it called a "terrorist attack" after an explosive device killed at least nine people in a Damascus cafe on July 2.

Syrian authorities are still investigating the attack and have not publicly ascribed it to any group or individual, according to The Washington Post.

Fox News Digital contacted the Syrian Foreign Ministry and Élysée Palace for confirmation and further details.

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Nigel Farage resigning from UK Parliament

Reform UK leader and British Member of Parliament (MP) Nigel Farage announced he was resigning from Parliament on Tuesday. 

Farage claimed he was resigning to force a by-election in his Clacton district and claimed he would run in it.

"Today I will resign as a Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, thereby forcing a by-election, which will happen, I hope in short order," he said in a press conference broadcast from the Reform UK YouTube channel.

"This will be a people vs. the establishment by-election. It's a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment, to frankly tell them where to go, and that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election," he said.  

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Cuba plunges into third major blackout this year as power crisis worsens

An island-wide blackout plunged Cuba into darkness Monday as the country’s deepening energy crisis continues to strain its fragile power system. 

The outage affected roughly 10 million people before limited electricity service was restored in some areas. 

"A total disconnection of the National Electric Power System is occurring," Cuba’s state-run Electric Union said Monday morning. "The causes are being investigated."

Cuba has faced increasingly frequent power outages in recent years as the country struggles with chronic fuel shortages and deteriorating electrical grids. The crisis worsened when President Donald Trump imposed additional sanctions in January and threatened tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island. 

MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS

During Monday’s blackout, public transportation was largely halted, and officials said tens of thousands of surgeries were canceled nationwide, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Authorities later said one generating unit had resumed operations roughly two hours after the collapse. 

"Microsystems are already operational throughout the country, to ensure protection for vital services," the Electric Union said. 

RUSSIAN ‘DARK FLEET’ TANKER BELIEVED TO BE DELIVERING OIL TO CUBA, DETECTED OFF US COAST AMID TRUMP BAN

The energy minister said officials were working to restore power while accusing the U.S. of contributing to Cuba’s energy struggles. 

"Vital services continue to be protected, amidst this complex situation exacerbated by the energy blockade we face," Vicente de la O Levy said.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also blamed U.S. policies, describing the energy blockade as a "genocidal" measure imposed by Washington. 

"While the U.S. tries to induce a social explosion through asphyxiation by blocking fuel access to #Cuba, the UNE mobilizes to reverse the SEN outage," Díaz-Canel said, referring to Cuba’s National Electric Power System. 

"What the electrical workers are doing in the midst of a genocidal energy blockade is heroic."

Cuba’s energy crisis intensified earlier this year after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and halted Venezuelan oil exports, cutting off a key source of fuel for the island. 

While Cuba produces only about 40% of the fuel it needs, a Russian tanker delivered roughly 730,000 barrels of oil to the country in March, supplies that were depleted by the end of April, according to The AP.

To conserve fuel, the Cuban government has imposed scheduled power outages that have lasted more than 24 consecutive hours in some areas, the outlet said. 

A blackout in early March affected Cuba’s western provinces, while a separate outage in mid-March plunged the entire island into darkness. 

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Who is Turkey's Erdoğan? How NATO's most unpredictable leader keeps reinventing himself

As President Donald Trump heads to Ankara, Turkey, for the upcoming NATO summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is again at the center of alliance politics. 

Trump has praised Erdoğan as "a friend" and "a respected leader," underscoring a relationship that could shape defense talks between Washington and Turkey, including Turkey’s long-running effort to restore deeper military cooperation. 

The moment highlights the remarkable position Erdoğan occupies today: Once regarded as one of NATO’s most troublesome allies after taking delivery of the Russian S-400 missile defense system in 2019, Turkey has become increasingly difficult for the alliance to sideline as the war in Ukraine drags on, instability grips the Middle East and the Black Sea grows more strategic. 

For many, however, Erdoğan remains an enigma. Rather than being driven by a fixed worldview, experts argue, Erdoğan repeatedly has reinvented himself politically, adopting whichever ideology best serves his overriding objective: remaining in power. 

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Erdoğan has ruled Turkey for more than two decades, evolving from an Istanbul mayor with Islamist roots into a pro-European reformer, then a nationalist strongman, and now a pivotal NATO power broker courted by Trump. 

To supporters, he restored Turkey's global stature. To critics, he hollowed out its democracy while jailing rivals, journalists and activists. But Erdoğan's most defining trait, experts say, may be less ideology than survival.

Is he an Islamist? A nationalist? A Western ally? A Russian partner? An authoritarian?

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Erdoğan is that he has been all of those things — at different moments, according to Gönül Tol, founding director of the Middle East Institute's Turkey Program and author of "Erdoğan's War: A Strongman's Struggle at Home and in Syria." 

"He's not an ideological man," Tol told Fox News Digital. "He's very pragmatic, first and foremost a populist."

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Erdoğan’s roots lie in Turkey’s Islamist political movement. Educated at an Imam Hatip religious school, he entered politics through National Outlook, a right-wing Islamist movement founded by Necmettin Erbakan, and eventually became mayor of Istanbul as a member of Erbakan’s Welfare Party.

But after founding the AKP, or Justice and Development Party, in 2001, Erdoğan abandoned the Islamist label, presenting himself instead as a "conservative democrat" committed to economic reform and closer ties with Europe — a shift that experts say marked the first of several political reinventions.

When Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party first swept to power in 2002, Turkey was seeking membership in the European Union, military influence over politics was shrinking, and Erdoğan promised democratic reforms, economic modernization and closer ties with the West.

Many liberals and centrists initially supported him.

"He often said, 'I'm not an Islamist anymore. I'm a conservative democrat,'" Tol said. "And that brand really served him well."

Those early years transformed both Turkey's economy and Erdoğan's popularity.

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After consolidating power, Erdoğan began another political transformation.

Following the Arab Spring in 2011, he increasingly portrayed himself as a champion of political Islam, backing Islamist movements across the Middle East while presenting himself domestically as the defender of Turkey's conservative religious majority.

"He wanted to inject more Islam into public life, into education," Tol said. "He was using this more Islamist narrative... the goal was always to acquire more power."

That anti-Western turn went beyond rhetoric. 

In 2016, Erdoğan accused the U.S.-led coalition of supporting terrorist groups in Syria, including ISIS and Kurdish militias that Turkey considers terrorist organizations— an allegation the State Department dismissed as "ludicrous," according to Reuters.

His increasingly vocal support for Hamas and sharp criticism of Israel became defining features of his foreign policy. 

"The perpetrators of the massacre and the destruction taking place in Gaza are those providing unlimited support for Israel," Erdoğan said in 2023, adding that Israel's attacks and those backing them amounted to "murder and mental illness," according to Reuters.

Tol cautions against viewing those positions alone as evidence that Erdoğan remains primarily motivated by Islamism. 

"Anti-Israel sentiment cuts across ideological lines in Turkey," she said, arguing that Erdoğan's foreign policy has consistently reflected political calculation more than religious doctrine.

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As Turkey's economy slowed and regional ambitions faltered, Erdoğan pivoted once again.

He embraced Turkish nationalism, built alliances with hardline nationalist parties and cultivated the image of an indispensable strongman capable of restoring Turkey's historical influence.

Supporters credit him with transforming Turkey into a regional power.

"He does have genuine support," Tol said, estimating his support at roughly 35%.

Some supporters depend on government assistance and patronage networks built under his rule. Others believe Erdoğan restored dignity to conservative religious Turks who long felt marginalized by the country's secular establishment.

Still others view his increasingly assertive foreign policy as proof Turkey has reclaimed its place on the world stage.

"They think, 'We have become a world-class nation,'" Tol said. "'Everyone is praising our president. Turkey is a big player.'"

While Erdoğan continues to command a loyal political base, critics say the price has been Turkey's democratic institutions.

Authorities increasingly have used courts and criminal investigations to sideline political opponents, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, whose arrest earlier in 2026 triggered nationwide demonstrations, according to Human Rights Watch.

The organization says the government has intensified efforts to weaken Turkey's main opposition party despite its strong performance in the 2024 municipal elections.

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Today, Erdoğan finds himself in another political transformation.

After years of anti-Western rhetoric and disputes with Washington, Turkey has worked to repair relations with the United States and Europe.

That rhetoric was once central to Erdoğan's posture. 

He accused the U.S.-led coalition in Syria of supporting terrorist groups, blasted Washington's sanctions over Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, calling them a "hostile attack" on Turkey's sovereign rights and defense industry, and repeatedly accused Western governments of enabling Israel's war in Gaza.

The shift comes as Turkey's strategic importance has grown dramatically.

The S-400 purchase remains at the center of one of the biggest unresolved disputes between Washington and Ankara. After Turkey took delivery of the Russian system in 2019, the U.S. expelled Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program and later imposed sanctions on Turkey's defense procurement agency.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey recently told Fox News Digital that restoring Turkey to the F-35 program remains far more complicated than other defense deals because operating the Russian-made S-400 alongside America's most advanced stealth fighter could expose sensitive U.S. technology.

"The F-35 is a different issue," Jeffrey said, arguing that the problem is technical, not merely political.

Turkey controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles, fields NATO's second-largest military and plays a critical role in the Black Sea following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Jeffrey said that Turkey has been "essential to Ukraine staying in the fight," pointing to Turkey's enforcement of the Montreux Convention, a 1936 treaty that gives Turkey control over naval passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, its early delivery of Bayraktar drones to Ukraine, and its role as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow. 

"You can't contain Russia in the Black Sea without Turkey," Jeffrey said.

For Tol, however, Erdoğan's latest embrace of NATO is simply another example of his political flexibility.

"There was a time when he was very anti-Western, very critical of NATO, very critical of the United States," she said.

"And now look at him."

Human Rights Watch argues Erdoğan has used Turkey's growing importance to NATO as political cover while expanding pressure on journalists, activists and opposition figures.

Freedom House says Erdoğan has become "increasingly authoritarian" over the past decade, consolidating power through constitutional changes and the imprisonment of political opponents, independent journalists and civil society figures.

Turkey's prisons held more than 420,000 inmates — far exceeding their official capacity of roughly 304,000, according to a June 2026 report citing Turkish Justice Ministry figures.

 NATO allies have grown quieter on Turkey's rights record as Ankara's strategic value has risen, Reuters reported ahead of the summit, with former U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield saying it remains important for the West to speak publicly about the "degradation of democratic institutions in Turkey."

Tol believes Erdoğan's domestic agenda can be understood through a single principle.

"Everything is designed to keep him in power," she said. "Beyond that, I don't see a binding ideology that brings together all his policies."

As Trump heads to Turkey, that may be the key to understanding one of NATO's most consequential — and unpredictable — leaders.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Turkish government for comment.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Zelenskyy pressures US and Europe for more 'air defense' assistance amid ongoing war with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressuring the U.S. and Europe to provide more missiles to help Ukraine defend against Russian attacks.

"Last night, Kyiv came under a massive Russian attack. Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 attack drones," Zelenskyy noted in part of a Monday post on X.

President Donald Trump is slated to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week.

Zelenskyy is calling for the U.S. and European allies to emerge from the meeting "with strong decisions in support of" Ukraine's "air defense."

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"Our warriors performed well today in intercepting drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately not Russian ballistic missiles. And the reason lies in the insufficient supply of interceptor missiles. It is critically important that the world – first and foremost the United States and our European partners – come out of the NATO Summit in Ankara with strong decisions in support of our air defense, and thus the protection of ordinary people’s lives," he noted in the post.

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"As long as Patriot missiles remain in our allies' stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep 'vanquishing' residential buildings. The United States and Europe have enough strength to stop this terror," he asserted.

Zelenskyy's comments come amid the ongoing, years-long war between Russia and Ukraine.

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Reuters reported that Zelenskyy, new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, European Council President Antonio Costa ​and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to have dinner with NATO leaders on Tuesday.

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Australian healing with 'beautiful messages' after losing arm to shark attack

Leah Stewart, an Australian mother and teacher who lost an arm after a shark attack at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, has been reading messages from supporters around the world during sleepless nights as she continues her long recovery, her family said.

"We’ve been sharing some of the beautiful messages we’ve received with Leah and she’s loved them, finding inspiration from the care and love you’ve all shared," her brother, Joshua Stewart, wrote in a GoFundMe update on Sunday.

"Leah has had some challenging days but has found real strength from your kindness and support," he added.

Leah Stewart has struggled with sleep in her recovery and has leaned on the wave of support from family, friends and strangers.

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"Since the incident Leah has had difficulty sleeping, and on those nights she’s been reading back through your messages, not only from her family and community in Australia and her whānau in New Zealand, but also from people all across the world," he wrote, using the Maori word for family. "They’ve given her real comfort and strength."

Stewart, mother to a 1-year-old daughter and passionate teacher, was attacked June 13 while on a morning swim close to shore and within the flags at Coogee Beach, according to her family. She suffered life-threatening injuries, including multiple bites across her arms and legs, lacerations, fractures and extreme blood loss.

She was placed on life support, put under a medically induced coma and underwent multiple surgeries in the days after the attack. Her treatment required the amputation of one arm, and the family said more surgeries were scheduled as doctors worked to save her life and stabilize her condition.

Stewart, who woke up from her 10-day coma after doctors reduced her sedation, told her mother and partner, Fernando, "I love you." Her brother said at the time that her first thoughts were with her young daughter, August.

SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR WAKES FROM 10-DAY COMA AND SHARES FIRST WORDS WITH FAMILY AT HER HOSPITAL BEDSIDE

"Leah has a long road ahead," Joshua Stewart wrote after she briefly woke, calling the moment a hopeful first step in her recovery.

Joshua Stewart said the family wanted to apologize for delays in responding to supporters, explaining they have had issues with the GoFundMe messaging system.

"Leah is beyond overwhelmed at the amazing support she has received and that her story has resonated with so many people," he wrote. "Thank you!"

The fundraiser was launched to help Stewart, her partner and their young daughter through what her family described as a heartbreaking situation. The money will support her recovery, prosthetics, rehabilitation, ongoing care and the major adjustments she will need as she works toward returning to life as a mother.

Her family also thanked the lifesavers, first responders, helicopter crew and medical team at St. Vincent’s Hospital who helped care for Stewart after the attack.

"As a family we are shocked and devastated that this could happen to our beloved partner, daughter and mother who is so full of life and energy," Joshua Stewart wrote.

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