Gaza Demilitarization Begins
BREAKING: Steve Witkoff Announces Launch of Phase Two in Gaza Peace Plan
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff declares the launch of Phase Two in President Trump's Gaza plan, advancing to demilitarization and reconstruction while warning Hamas of consequences for failing to return the final deceased hostage.
In a definitive move to reshape the future of the region, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced on Wednesday the launch of Phase Two of the Trump administration’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza War. This transition marks a critical pivot from the initial ceasefire period toward a long term framework of demilitarization, technocratic governance, and large scale reconstruction. Despite the fact that the remains of the final Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili, have yet to be returned by terrorists in the strip, the United States has decided to proceed with the implementation of the next chapters of its peace vision.
The centerpiece of this new phase is the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, also known as the NCAG. This transitional technocratic Palestinian administration is designed to manage the daily civil affairs of the territory while ensuring it no longer serves as a base for terror. Witkoff emphasized that this stage begins the "full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza," with a primary focus on the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel. While the U.S. has moved the plan forward, the special envoy issued a stark warning to Hamas, stating that "failure to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage, will bring serious consequences."
The announcement comes against a backdrop of complex humanitarian and diplomatic successes achieved during the first phase of the plan. According to Witkoff, Phase One successfully delivered historic amounts of aid to civilians, maintained a fragile ceasefire, and saw the return of all living hostages, along with the remains of 27 of the 28 deceased captives. The special envoy expressed deep gratitude to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their "indispensable mediation efforts" that allowed the process to reach this milestone. However, the Israeli government remains wary, as it has consistently opposed moving to the second phase until the file on Ran Gvili is completely closed.
Ran Gvili, an officer in the Israeli police’s elite Yassam unit who was killed in action and abducted on October 7, remains the last person held by terrorists in Gaza. His family has been vocal in their demands that no border crossings be reopened and no reconstruction begin until their son is returned for a proper burial. As the US moves to implement the technocratic committee and begins the process of disarming terror factions, the tension between American diplomatic momentum and Israeli security demands will likely define the coming weeks. The world now looks to the NCAG to see if it can successfully navigate the ruins of Gaza and provide a stable alternative to terror rule while the search for the final hostage continues.