U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire advances to phase two amid sharp disputes

The White House announced the launch of Phase Two of a U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire plan, casting the move as the next step of a wider 20-Point Plan to end the Gaza conflict. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the action was being taken "on behalf of President Trump" and framed the new phase as a transition from a temporary truce toward "demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction."

Under the plan, a 15-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) will assume day-to-day governance of an enclave of more than 2 million people. The scheme envisages the full demilitarization of Gaza, the deployment of an International Stabilisation Force to secure the territory and to train vetted Palestinian police units, and a multiyear reconstruction effort. U.N., World Bank and European Commission assessments cited in briefings estimate the rebuilding bill at roughly $50–$52 billion.

The launch comes amid deep unresolved disputes that could scuttle the shift from ceasefire to demilitarization. Officials involved in the talks say the plan hinges on the disarmament of "all unauthorized personnel," but Hamas has so far declined to publicly commit to full disarmament. The U.S. envoy said Washington expects Hamas "to comply fully," and singled out the immediate return of the final deceased hostage identified by Israeli authorities, Ran Gvili. Witkoff warned that "failure to do so will bring serious consequences." The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said the return of Gvili "is a top priority."

Hamas spokespeople offered a cautious welcome. Hazem Qassem called the announcement an "important positive development" and said Hamas is "fully prepared to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip" to the NCAG, while urging the U.S. to "compel" Israel to meet earlier phase requirements. Those statements, however, left major technical and political questions unanswered about how demilitarization would be verified and how security arrangements would function once foreign stabilisation forces and trained Palestinian units assumed responsibilities.

Humanitarian access and reconstruction financing remain acute practical obstacles. Humanitarian briefings cited U.N. data showing fewer than 100 aid trucks are entering Gaza daily, a fraction of the roughly 600 per day agreed under the ceasefire. Relief workers and U.N. officials warn of severe shortages of shelter, medicine and fuel. Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UNOPS, described conditions as "inhumane" and reiterated the roughly $52 billion estimate to rebuild infrastructure and services.

Security on the ground remains fragile. While the ceasefire has largely held, reports indicate isolated violations and continuing Israeli operations that have resulted in civilian deaths in separate incidents, underscoring the tenuousness of the calm.

U.S. mediators thanked regional partners, with Witkoff praising Egypt, Turkey and Qatar for "indispensable mediation efforts." Yet analysts and relief workers caution that the shift into a second phase risks becoming an administrative exercise unless concrete, verifiable commitments are secured on disarmament, hostage returns, Israeli withdrawal or redeployment, the NCAG’s mandate and financing, and immediate increases in aid delivery. The coming days will test whether international pledges and the new technocratic apparatus can translate into security and relief for Gaza’s besieged population.