U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announced today that the second phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan will begin, which he said is focused on “moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction.”
Witkoff said in a post on X that the second phase establishes the formation of a “transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and begins the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel.”
Witkoff did not identify the members of the governing committee or expand on moving forward with “the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel,” a key aspect of the second phase.
“The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff wrote.
Qatari, Egyptian and Turkish mediators said in a separate statement that the governing agency, titled the Palestinian Technocratic Committee to Administer the Gaza Strip, will be headed by Dr. Ali Abdel Hamid Shaath, who according to Reuters is a former deputy minister for the Palestinian Authority.
The first phase involved a ceasefire and influx of humanitarian aid in Gaza and the return of all living and dead hostages taken into the enclave during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are living in crowded, unsanitary conditions in tents camps amid the rubble in Gaza, where the Associated Press reported more than 400 people have been killed and over 1,100 wounded since the ceasefire began, according to the Health Ministry.
“We are deeply grateful to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their indispensable mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible,” Witkoff said.