Washington, Jan 15: The United States has moved Gaza into a new post-war political framework by approving a technocratic administration and launching phase two of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict, marking the first explicit US-backed effort to remove both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority from governance in the territory.
Phase two establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian body — the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) — and initiates a shift from ceasefire management to demilitarisation, governance, and reconstruction, according to two Senior administration officials.
Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction,” US Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff said in a public statement.
The officials mentioned the NCAG was carefully selected through consultations with regional mediators and Palestinian factions and is intended to function as a non-political, service-oriented administration focused on rebuilding Gaza and improving the daily lives of its residents.
Officials described the move as the first time in years that Gaza would not be governed by either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
The decision to proceed to phase two was taken even as efforts continue to resolve outstanding hostage-related issues, officials said.
All living hostages have returned, and the remains of 27 of the 28 deceased hostages have been recovered. Efforts are ongoing to locate the final set of remains while maintaining the ceasefire, an official added.
Steve Witkoff said Washington expects Hamas to fulfil its remaining obligations under the agreement, including the return of the final deceased hostage.
“Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” he warned.
Senior officials acknowledged scepticism over whether Hamas would fully disarm, noting that the group has spent years building extensive military infrastructure. However, they stressed that dismantling terror capabilities is critical to Gaza’s future.
Officials said reconstruction cannot move forward if the risk of renewed conflict remains. Removing terror infrastructure and heavy weapons, they added, is essential to prevent a return to repeated cycles of war and to create conditions for lasting rebuilding and improved daily life.
They also pointed to what they described as significant humanitarian gains during phase one of the ceasefire. More than 53,000 aid trucks entered Gaza, delivering over two million pallets of supplies.
Vaccination campaigns reached tens of thousands of children, and large areas of rubble were cleared, officials said.
Witkoff also highlighted the role of regional mediators, saying the United States was “deeply grateful to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their indispensable mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible.”
Officials said these countries will continue to play a key role as the plan moves forward.