GAZA/JERUSALEM/CAIRO/UNITED NATIONS/RAMALLAH - Hamas said on Monday that it has completed preparations to hand over its governmental and administrative assets to the Gaza national committee, which is expected to administer the Gaza Strip once it enters the territory through the Rafah border crossing.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the handover will begin immediately upon the committee's arrival in Gaza and will be conducted transparently and comprehensively across all sectors.

He said a high-level body has been formed to oversee the process, including representatives of Palestinian factions, tribal leaders, civil society figures, and international organizations.

Qassem urged all parties to facilitate the committee's work, saying it is essential for Gaza's recovery after what he described as the "catastrophe" caused by two years of Israeli conflict.

A member of the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip said, however, that technical problems have so far prevented committee members from entering the enclave through the Rafah crossing. Aed Yaghi, speaking at a news conference, said the committee hopes to arrive within the next few days but did not elaborate on the obstacles.

Another committee member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the body does not yet have a headquarters or an operating budget. He said a building or plot of land in Gaza City may be rented to begin work and that no funding has yet been received.

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The committee plans to hold meetings with Palestinian factions and government officials upon its arrival to arrange the handover of ministries and government offices so they can resume operations, the member said.

US envoy due in Israel for talks

On Monday, a senior Israeli official told Xinhua that US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior military officials.

The talks will focus on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and the tensions with Iran, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

Witkoff is also scheduled to meet Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and other security officials, the official added.

The upcoming visit comes amid rising regional tensions over Washington's increased military presence in the Middle East, its threats to attack Iran, and Teheran's warnings of retaliation against US and Israeli targets, and as the White House also seeks to advance the plan for a ceasefire in Gaza and the rehabilitation of the devastated enclave.

Palestinian patients left Gaza through Rafah crossing

Meanwhile, the first group of wounded and ill Palestinians crossed from the Gaza Strip into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing on Monday, Palestinian sources said, marking an initial step in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. 

The evacuation, however, was limited by Israeli security procedures.

The movement follows the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing, Gaza's only outlet not controlled by Israel. The terminal had been largely closed since Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side in May 2024, worsening the humanitarian crisis for Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

The crossing reopened on a trial basis on Sunday before expanding operations on Monday under the second phase of a US-brokered ceasefire. Under the current arrangement, roughly 150 Palestinians may exit Gaza daily, while up to 50 may enter from Egypt.

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Sources told Xinhua that five patients, accompanied by 10 relatives or caregivers, were allowed to leave, far fewer than the 50 initially planned for the first day. The departures were delayed for several hours due to Israeli screening checks.

Calling on more countries to accept patients from Gaza, The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said civilians must be allowed to leave and return voluntarily and safely, as international law requires, adding that ultimately essential humanitarian supplies must enter in sufficient quantities and with fewer restrictions through Rafah and other crossings.

More than 18,500 patients, including 4,000 children, await medical evacuation from Gaza for treatment that is not available locally, said OCHA.

National council elections

Separately, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree setting elections for the Palestinian National Council (PNC) on Nov 1, the official WAFA news agency reported.

The decree called on Palestinians both inside the occupied territories and in the diaspora to take part "to ensure the broadest possible participation of the Palestinian people wherever they reside", WAFA said, citing the document.

The PNC serves as the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and represents Palestinian factions, unions, and groups both inside and outside the Palestinian territories.