Overview
- Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and Hamas are very shortly expected to move to phase two once Hamas returns the remains of Ran Gvili, with a start possible by the end of the month.
- Phase two envisions disarming Hamas, further Israeli withdrawals, deployment of an international stabilization force, and a temporary Palestinian administration overseen by an international board led by President Donald Trump.
- A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press the group is ready to discuss freezing or storing its weapons as part of talks over disarmament.
- Qatar and Egypt urged progress at the Doha Forum, Qatar called the current truce a pause, and Israel rejected proposals to store Hamas weapons or give Turkey a security role.
- Violence and access shortfalls persist during the pause, with Gaza health authorities reporting more than 360 Palestinian deaths since October, as Germany sends officers, diplomats, and aid to help coordinate phase two.