U.S.-Backed Gaza Ceasefire Plan Moves to Critical, Yet Unclear, Second Phase

The United States has announced the start of the second phase of a plan to end the war in Gaza, but the path forward is fraught with major, unresolved challenges. The plan, championed by former President Donald Trump’s administration, aims to transition from a temporary halt in fighting to a more stable, long-term arrangement for the devastated territory [50669][50883].

This next stage centers on two key, yet undefined, proposals: the creation of a temporary governing body for Gaza run by Palestinian technocrats—specialists appointed for their expertise—and the formation of an international oversight panel called a “Board of Peace” [50117][51094]. However, the U.S. special envoy acknowledged that critical goals like disarming the Hamas militant group and establishing this temporary administration are “not yet within reach” [50317].

A significant immediate hurdle is that the proposed committee of experts cannot begin its work. It must first be approved by the “Board of Peace,” which has not yet been created and has no clear timeline for its formation [50669][50117]. This delay creates immediate uncertainty on the ground in Gaza, where Israeli military operations have continued despite the announced ceasefire [50803][51219].

Analysts note that the entire plan remains a broad framework lacking specific details on implementation. Fundamental questions about the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, the structure of the new governing bodies, and their political mandates remain unanswered [25273][51094]. “The Board of Peace must now put its politics where its mouth is,” said analyst Yezid Sayigh of the Carnegie Middle East Center [51094].

The success of this phase is seen as critical to determining whether the current calm can evolve into a durable peace or if hostilities will resume [50883]. All sides acknowledge the difficulties ahead, with deep distrust between the warring parties cited as the largest challenge [50883][37191]. The coming weeks will test the commitment of the involved parties to move beyond the initial ceasefire and address the complex political and security issues at the heart of the conflict.