Overview
- Washington said Phase Two establishes the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a technocratic team led by Ali Shaath to run day-to-day governance during a transition.
- Egypt, Qatar and Turkey announced Shaath’s leadership as Palestinian factions convened in Cairo, and the Palestinian Authority publicly endorsed moving to the next stage.
- The U.S. demanded the immediate return of Ran Gvili’s remains and warned of “serious consequences,” while Israel objected to advancing and kept the Rafah crossing closed.
- An international Board of Peace is slated to oversee the transition, with former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov reported to serve on the ground and further details expected to be announced at Davos.
- Major gaps persist including Hamas’ refusal to disarm, limited commitments for an International Stabilization Force, and a large reconstruction funding shortfall compared with needs estimated in the tens of billions.