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Washington says the next stage of its Gaza plan will move beyond a ceasefire toward demilitarisation, technocratic governance and reconstruction, even as ceasefire violations and humanitarian restrictions continue.
The United States has announced the launch of the second phase of a US-brokered plan aimed at ending Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, shifting the focus from a fragile ceasefire to demilitarisation, transitional governance and long-term reconstruction.
Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, said on Wednesday that the administration's 20-point Gaza plan was now "moving from ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance, and reconstruction".
The announcement comes amid mounting concerns over the durability of the ceasefire and worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where large parts of the territory remain in ruins after more than two years of war.
According to Witkoff, the second phase of the plan will establish a transitional administration to govern Gaza while overseeing the "full demilitarisation" of the territory and the start of reconstruction efforts.
While Hamas has previously indicated it is willing to step back from day-to-day governance under the framework of the US proposal, key details about the composition, authority and legitimacy of the proposed technocratic body remain unclear.
Reporting from central Gaza, Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum said unresolved questions over governance and security could delay implementation. He added that the plan's success depends heavily on whether the ceasefire holds.
"The durability of the ceasefire itself remains a key variable," Abu Azzoum said. "Any deterioration could derail or completely undermine these plans."
The announcement comes as Gaza authorities accuse Israel of repeatedly violating the US-brokered ceasefire, which has been in place since October.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Israel has violated the agreement more than 1,190 times, killing over 400 Palestinians and continuing to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
International organisations and the United Nations have warned that aid restrictions violate both international law and the ceasefire agreement, which requires Israel to allow at least 600 aid trucks into Gaza daily.
With more than 80 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians remain displaced, many living in poorly equipped tent camps exposed to winter storms, shortages of food and limited medical care.
On Wednesday alone, Gaza's Health Ministry reported that at least 15 bodies were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, including victims recovered from rubble. A medical staff member at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis was also killed after being shot by Israeli forces, according to local sources.
Witkoff said the US expects Hamas to meet all of its obligations under the agreement, including the return of the final deceased Israeli captive.
"Failure to do so will bring serious consequences," he warned.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that recovering the remains of Israeli captives remains a priority. His office said plans to establish a technocratic committee to govern Gaza would not interfere with efforts to recover the body of Ran Gvili, a former Israeli police officer whose remains are believed to be in Gaza.
Mediators Qatar, TĂĽrkiye and Egypt welcomed the formation of the Palestinian technocratic body, saying it could pave the way for implementing the second phase of the ceasefire and beginning reconstruction.
However, analysts remain sceptical.
Al Jazeera's senior political analyst Marwan Bishara said the US-led process was structurally biased in Israel's favour and ignored core Palestinian rights.
"How can you have a just process when one party is consistently favoured?" Bishara asked. "The people in Gaza continue to suffer while the process is celebrated as peacemaking."
He added that Israel has shown little interest in fully withdrawing from Gaza, while Washington has been unwilling to apply meaningful pressure.
More than 71,400 Palestinians have been killed and over 171,000 wounded since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, according to local health authorities.
As the US pushes forward with its "phase two" vision, humanitarian agencies warn that reconstruction cannot begin without a sustained ceasefire, unimpeded aid access and clear political guarantees.
For now, Gaza's future remains uncertain, caught between diplomatic plans, ongoing violence and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
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