US announces start of Gaza ceasefire “Phase Two”

• All Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, reached a consensus on Wednesday to support a 15-member technocratic committee, led by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, to manage Gaza’s daily affairs and essential services.
• USSpecial Envoy Steve Witkoff officially declared the start of "Phase Two" of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which transitions Gaza from a ceasefire to full demilitarization, disarmament of unauthorized personnel, and reconstruction under the oversight of a Trump-led "Board of Peace."

A US-backed plan to end the war in Gaza was moving into its second phase, Washington's top negotiator said Wednesday, as Palestinian factions agreed on the make-up of a post-war governing committee.

President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff wrote on X that phase two of the US leader's 20-point plan would shift the Palestinian territory "from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance and reconstruction".

Under the plan brokered in October, Gaza would be run by a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee under the supervision of a so-called "Board of Peace", to be chaired by Trump himself.

Egypt said all the members of the committee had been agreed upon by all Palestinian factions, which swiftly offered their support.

Former Palestinian deputy minister Ali Shaath was named to lead the body, according to a joint statement by mediators Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.

Read more: Former Palestinian deputy minister to lead Gaza governance body: mediators

The mediators did not disclose the remaining names.

Speaking at a press conference in Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he hoped the committee would soon be deployed to Gaza to "manage daily life and essential services".

Earlier in the day, a senior Hamas official told AFP the group was in talks with mediators in Cairo to address the formation of the committee and its operational mechanisms.

Later, Palestinian factions including Hamas and Islamic Jihad said in a joint statement that they supported mediators' efforts to form what they called a Palestinian National Transitional Committee, and would help create "the appropriate environment" for it to begin its work.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian presidency also announced its support in official media, with a source from the office telling AFP the statement "reflects the position of the Fatah movement because President (Mahmud) Abbas is also the head of Fatah".

Hamas has repeatedly said it does not seek a role in any future governing authority in the Palestinian territory, and would limit its role to monitoring governance to ensure stability and facilitate reconstruction.

In Cairo, talks with Egyptian mediators also focused on the withdrawal of ‘Israeli’ forces from Gaza, the reopening of the Rafah crossing, the entry of aid currently stockpiled on the Egyptian side of the border, and preparations for launching the second phase of the ceasefire plan, the Hamas official said.

‘Israel’ has said it would not begin talks on the second phase of the ceasefire until the return of the last captive held in Gaza, Ran Gvili.