The United States has moved into phase two of its Gaza plan. In a post on X, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the step involves installing a technocratic Palestinian administration and warned that Hamas must return the final deceased Israeli hostage or face serious consequences. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-announces-launch-phase-two-gaza-plan-says-witkoff-2026-01-14/))
The institutional frame for phase two rests on UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which welcomed the creation of an international Board of Peace and authorised a temporary International Stabilisation Force for Gaza through 31 December 2027, with six‑monthly reporting to the Council. ([un.org](https://www.un.org/unispal/document/security-council-meeting-coverage-17nov25/?utm_source=openai))
Egypt previously signalled a 15‑member transitional administration for Gaza, describing a technocratic team under Palestinian Authority supervision for an initial period. The US plan places that committee-the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)-under the Board of Peace; the 20‑point plan published last year states the Board will be chaired by President Trump. ([english.ahram.org.eg](https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1234/551176/Egypt/Foreign-Affairs/-technocrats-to-govern-Gaza-under-PA-oversight-Egy.aspx?utm_source=openai))
Phase one, agreed in October 2025, combined a ceasefire with a staged hostage‑prisoner exchange, a partial Israeli pullback inside Gaza and a major scale‑up of aid flows. Public documentation at the time referenced up to 600 aid trucks per day and further negotiations on wider withdrawals and the return of all remaining hostages. ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/10/gaza-ceasefire-trump-israel-hamas/?utm_source=openai))
Personnel choices for the NCAG are emerging. Reuters reported a 14‑member list headed by Ali Shaath, with former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov expected to represent the Board of Peace on the ground; Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have signalled support, while Egypt’s foreign minister earlier pointed to a 15‑member structure-an inconsistency that suggests finalisation is still under way. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-expected-unveil-post-war-gaza-leadership-sources-say-2026-01-14/))
Demilitarisation is the defining test of phase two. The plan envisages verified disarmament and decommissioning of weapons by Hamas and other groups, alongside a buy‑back and reintegration programme monitored by independent assessors, with Israeli military withdrawals sequenced to agreed milestones. ([aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/29/heres-the-full-text-of-trumps-20-point-plan-to-end-israels-war-on-gaza?utm_source=openai))
Security will hinge on deploying an International Stabilisation Force that trains and supports vetted Palestinian police, while coordinating with Israel and Egypt to secure borders and maintain deconfliction so aid and reconstruction can proceed. Authority for that deployment and its unified command flows from Resolution 2803. ([aljazeera.com](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/29/heres-the-full-text-of-trumps-20-point-plan-to-end-israels-war-on-gaza?utm_source=openai))
Financing is substantial. The World Bank has indicated support for a UN‑mandated framework linked to the Board of Peace, as external estimates put reconstruction needs above $50bn. A dedicated trust‑fund approach is under discussion with donors to channel investment into infrastructure and services. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/world-bank-letter-us-backs-draft-un-resolution-gaza-2025-11-09/?utm_source=openai))
The humanitarian context remains severe. Gaza’s health ministry reports more than 70,000 deaths since October 2023, and several hundred additional fatalities recorded since the October 2025 ceasefire, figures widely cited by international media and agencies while contested by Israel. ([al-monitor.com](https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/11/death-toll-gaza-war-surpasses-70000-health-ministry?utm_source=openai))
Immediate next steps include a formal US announcement of the NCAG membership and further details on the Board of Peace-moves diplomats expect around the World Economic Forum meetings-alongside Cairo talks on sequencing disarmament. Witkoff’s warning about consequences for non‑compliance underscores that enforcement remains politically sensitive and only partly specified at this stage. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-expected-unveil-post-war-gaza-leadership-sources-say-2026-01-14/))