U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff said Wednesday the Trump administration has launched “Phase Two” of a 20-point plan for Gaza, shifting the effort from a ceasefire toward demilitarization, a technocratic governing structure and large-scale reconstruction.
In a statement posted on X, Witkoff said Phase Two would create a transitional Palestinian technocratic administration in Gaza called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG. He said the United States expects Hamas to meet what he described as its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage, and warned that failure to comply would bring “serious consequences.”
Witkoff also pointed to what he called Phase One’s achievements, saying it sustained the ceasefire, delivered major humanitarian aid, and resulted in the return of all living hostages along with the remains of 27 of 28 deceased hostages. He thanked Egypt, Turkey and Qatar for what he described as indispensable mediation.
President Donald Trump echoed the announcement in a post on Truth Social, saying the plan had “officially” entered its next phase. Trump claimed his team helped deliver record levels of humanitarian assistance since the ceasefire and said the results helped set the stage for the move to Phase Two. Trump also said he was backing a Palestinian technocratic government under the NCAG to govern Gaza during the transition, supported by a “Board of Peace” he described as overseeing the process.
Trump said the administration, working with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, would seek a comprehensive demilitarization agreement with Hamas that includes surrendering weapons and dismantling tunnel networks. He said Hamas must return the final body to Israel and move quickly toward full demilitarization, adding that it could be done “the easy way, or the hard way.”
The Gaza war began after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in the territory. Since then, diplomacy has focused on stopping the fighting, making it easier for people to get help, and dealing with hostage-related requests. However, longer-term problems regarding how Gaza will be run and how it will be rebuilt after the conflict have not been answered.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
