US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has announced that the Gaza peace plan is advancing, although Hamas disarmament remains a significant obstacle.
Phase Two of the peace plan must now be implemented urgently, as the enclave continues to suffer widespread devastation from the two-year conflict, he said.
“Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction,” Witkoff posted on X.
The first phase of the Trump-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, following months of negotiations between Israel and Hamas. However, ceasefire violations have been frequent, both sides accusing each other of the attacks.
More than 400 people, including women and children, have been killed despite the truce, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which the United Nations regards as credible.
While Israeli officials maintain that Hamas continues to pose a threat and that their airstrikes have primarily targeted militants, Hamas refused to disarm, which was part of the deal, but agreed to a transitional technocratic government taking over the daily administration.
On Wednesday, mediators from Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar issued a joint statement appointing Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister for transportation in the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA), as head of the technocratic administration.
In their joint statement, the mediators declared that it was an “important development to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza”.
Witkoff also confirmed that a “transitional technocratic Palestinian administration” has been set up to manage day-to-day affairs in Gaza, with no Hamas members permitted.
However, he said the US expects Hamas to immediately return the final deceased hostage or face “serious consequences”.
According to the United Nations, reconstruction of Gaza will require more than $50 billion, with the source of funding still unclear.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed 71,400 people and injured 150,000, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
