No details given of potential members of committee that will be created to run territory as part of phase two
The US has announced the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, including the creation of a committee of Palestinian technocrats who are supposed to take over the day-to-day running of the territory for a transition period.
The announcement was made on social media by Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, but it lacked any detail or names of potential members of the proposed “national committee for the administration of Gaza”. The committee is not expected to begin work until mandated by a “peace board” chaired by Trump, which has yet to be created.
Witkoff said the second phase would begin the “full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel”.
The first phase of the ceasefire plan began on 10 October, with the exchange of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and its allies for Palestinian detainees held by Israel. Israeli forces withdrew to a yellow truce line that left them in control of most of the territory.
