Overview
- With the first phase largely complete and one hostage’s remains still in Gaza, Washington signals a shift to a more complex stage focused on governance, security and reconstruction.
- U.S. officials say the White House could announce the Board of Peace before Christmas to oversee a Palestinian technocratic committee and coordinate reconstruction and reforms.
- A U.S.-backed International Stabilization Force is being scoped with interest from Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan, but partners have yet to define command, authorities or timelines, with deployments discussed for early 2026.
- Hamas tells the AP it may “freeze or store” weapons during a political process as U.S. negotiators weigh an IRA‑style, two‑year decommissioning model reported by Israeli media, which Israeli sources privately warn could leave the group effectively armed.
- Israel conditions further pullbacks on strict demilitarization benchmarks and the return of the final captive’s remains, as its military maintains control over more than half of Gaza and signals reluctance to relinquish the current internal barrier.