Overview
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said Phase Two begins demilitarization, creates the 15-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and starts large-scale reconstruction.
- Mediators and officials report Ali Shaath is set to chair the NCAG, with former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov named as the Board of Peace’s representative on the ground.
- Hamas welcomed transferring civil administration to the committee but stopped short of a full disarmament pledge, as Washington warned of consequences and pressed for the return of the final deceased hostage.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the new Palestinian committee a “declarative move” and prioritized recovering Ran Gvili’s remains, as Israeli strikes in Deir al-Balah killed at least five, with local reports naming a Hamas commander.
- Key steps remain unfulfilled, including forming an International Stabilization Force, finalizing the Board of Peace and its deployment, reopening Rafah, setting timelines for Israeli pullbacks, and financing reconstruction that international assessments say will cost tens of billions of dollars to clear tens of millions of tonnes of rubble.