The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which is set to govern Gaza after Hamas, per the US-backed Gaza ceasefire deal, unveiled its new logo on Thursday, adding a shield and olive branches to the Palestinian Authority‘s emblem.
“[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is the founder of the Palestinian state,” MK Avigdor Liberman (Israel Beytenu) said of the change in a post to X/Twitter.
The NCAG had previously faced backlash and outrage from Israeli officials over the logo’s resemblance to that of the PA and PLO. In previous iterations, the banner read “Palestine” in Arabic, but the NCAG version reads “NCAG” instead.
NCAG’s previous logo featured a stylized bird in the colors of the Palestinian flag, rising from a city skyline.
Liberman, at the time, blamed Israel’s “weak” leadership and demanded that it be replaced. He went on to decry the government for promising a complete victory and instead delivering only humiliation.
The Prime Minister’s Office also claimed that the logo shown to Israel was not the same as the one presented in the press release, stating that Israel would not accept the use of the PA’s logo.
In early February, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News shared a leaked document claiming that Hamas plans to continue having administrative control of Gaza, contrary to what the ceasefire agreement establishes.
The document reportedly outlined how officials affiliated with Hamas must act before the establishment of the NCAG, including dos and don’ts to avoid raising suspicions with the new government.
The document also states that NCAG members can’t be attacked, while activities must continue “as if nothing had changed.”
Tzvi Jasper and Tobias Holcman contributed to this report.