Washington, DC – The United States announced Wednesday the start of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at ending the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, regional and international efforts continue to solidify the ceasefire and address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Strip.
White House envoy Steve Wittkopf stated that Washington, on behalf of President Trump, is launching the second phase of the plan. He emphasized that it represents a pivotal step toward restructuring the political, security, and humanitarian situation in Gaza. He explained that this phase involves establishing a transitional Palestinian technocratic administration, known as the “Gaza National Committee.” This committee will manage the affairs of the Strip during the coming period.
Wittkopf added that the second phase will also include the commencement of the disarmament process. Furthermore, a comprehensive reconstruction program for Gaza will be launched. The program aims to gradually restore normalcy and improve living conditions for the population, following the widespread destruction of infrastructure caused by the war.
The US envoy stressed that the United States expects Hamas to fully comply with the terms of the agreement. He also demanded the immediate return of the body of the last remaining hostage, warning that non-compliance would have “serious consequences,” without specifying their nature.
In the same context, Palestinian factions and forces announced, following a meeting held in Cairo at the invitation of Egypt and under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, that they had reached common understandings regarding the requirements of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. A statement issued after the meeting also affirmed support for efforts to form a transitional Palestinian national committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip. This aims to ensure the provision of basic services to the population.
For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty announced that an agreement had been reached on the names of 15 members of the technocratic committee tasked with managing the Strip. He also indicated that the official announcement of the committee would be made soon, paving the way for it to begin its work on the ground in Gaza. Furthermore, an Egyptian source revealed that the first meeting of the national committee for managing Gaza would be held on Thursday at the US Embassy in Cairo.
