TRUMP ENVOY SAYS GAZA CEASEFIRE ENTERS SECOND PHASE, FOCUS ON DEMILITARISATION, RECONSTRUCTION

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US President Donald Trump’s special envoy announced on Wednesday the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan, saying the focus will shift to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

“Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and begins the full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel,” Steve Witkoff said in a statement on the X platform.

He said the US expects Palestinian group Hamas to fully comply with its obligations under the agreement, including “the immediate return of the final deceased hostage.”

“Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff added.

He also thanked Turkiye, Egypt and Qatar “for their indispensable mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible.”

Palestinian groups earlier Wednesday voiced support for the establishment of the transitional administrative body for Gaza, urging swift steps to enable it to immediately take over governance responsibilities in the territory.

The stance was announced in a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo convened at Egypt’s invitation and held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News.

According to the statement, the groups stressed the need to create suitable conditions for the transitional body to promptly assume full responsibility for managing daily life in Gaza, including essential public services.

They said the body would work in coordination with a “peace council” and its executive committee, which are expected to oversee the approval and implementation of Gaza’s reconstruction process.

Palestinians have accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire that halted Israel’s brutal war that has killed more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

Nearly 450 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,200 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel has also refused to reopen Gaza’s crossings despite a UN Security Council resolution adopted in November 2025 calling for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in the enclave, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of the territory.

-- BERNAMA