The Donald Trump administration is preparing to officially move into the second phase of its Gaza plan within the next two weeks.
The goal is to maintain the fragile ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas almost two months ago.
According to what an American official told the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel, Phase 2 concerns the establishment of new governance and security mechanisms that will replace Hamas in post-war Gaza.
Conditional Negotiations – The Demand for Hamas Disarmament
Although the Trump administration would like to make announcements on Phase 2 for Gaza by the end of the year, a final deal is not yet locked in. The US and mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have not reached an agreement with Hamas on the handover of power and its gradual disarmament.
The extremist Islamist organization declares its willingness to hand over the administration of Gaza to a government of Palestinian technocrats, but rejects the involvement of international bodies, has been attempting to re-establish its control over the Palestinian enclave since October 10, when the ceasefire came into effect, and refuses to lay down its arms, citing the "right to resistance."
The mediators are pushing for a model of gradual disarmament, starting with the handover of heavy weapons. However, Israel is demanding complete and immediate disarmament of Hamas before any withdrawal of its troops from Gaza.
International Stabilization Force in Gaza in 2026 – Tension due to Turkey's involvement
The American plan foresees that, if an agreement is reached, the International Stabilization Force (ISF) will be deployed to Gaza in early 2026. It will initially be positioned along the so-called "Yellow Line", which practically divides the enclave in two, gradually assuming full security responsibility.
Countries such as Indonesia and Azerbaijan are considering joining, but have not made any official announcements. A central thorn in the side is Turkey's position: the candidate countries consider its participation to be an "insurance policy", reducing the likelihood of being fired upon by Hamas.
The Israeli government, however, categorically rejects any Turkish involvement, citing Ankara's close ties with Hamas and Recep Tayyip Erdogan's inflammatory statements against Israel. Nevertheless, Washington continues to pressure Israel to accept some role for Turkey in Gaza.
Technocratic administration and international council under Tony Blair
Alongside the security force, a committee of Palestinian technocrats, independent of Hamas and Fatah, will be created to govern Gaza. Its members - 12 to 15 figures from the economy and administration - are expected to be announced by Trump himself.
It will be overseen by an international board of directors headed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who played a central role in shaping Trump's 20-point plan. The board will also include top aides to the US president, including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Final oversight will rest with the "Board of Peace," which will be chaired by Trump and will include about a dozen other leaders - including, according to an American official, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.
Gaza reconstruction with obstacles
Washington is looking forward to starting major reconstruction projects in Gaza once the new administration is formed, starting in the area currently controlled by Israel.
However, Arab countries and potential donors warn that this would consolidate the division of Gaza, while Israel rejects any reconstruction before Hamas is fully disarmed and threatens to resume operations if the organization does not comply.
Israel insists on the return of the bodies of the hostages
At the same time, Israel demands the completion of the return of the bodies of the hostages, as provided for in the first phase of the ceasefire.
On Wednesday, the body of Thai Sudhisak Rindalak was returned, with another one—that of Israeli police officer Ran Gwilyi—remaining in Gaza.
A new Israeli mission is in Cairo for contacts with mediators in an effort to locate and recover his body.
Source: iefimerida.gr
