The United States said Wednesday it was moving to the next phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan that involves disarming Hamas, rebuilding the war-ravaged territory and creating a group of Palestinian experts that will administer daily affairs in Gaza under U.S. supervision.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an article on
But Witkoff gave no details on who would be part of the new transitional Palestinian administration that would govern Gaza. The Trump White House also did not immediately provide additional information.
The ceasefire deal’s mediators – Egypt, Turkey and Qatar – welcomed the creation of the committee and said it would be led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister.
“This is an important development to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” they said in a joint statement.
The Gaza native served as deputy transport minister in the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. Shaath, an engineer, is an expert in economic development and reconstruction, according to his biography published on the website of the Palestinian Economic Policy Research Institute.
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Witkoff said the United States expects Hamas to immediately return the last dead hostage, as part of its obligations under the agreement.
Although Wednesday’s announcement signals a key step forward, the formation of a new government in Gaza and the ceasefire face a number of enormous challenges, including the deployment of an international security force to oversee the deal and the difficult process of disarming Hamas.
The appointments to a technocratic committee are part of a broader plan to end Hamas’ 18-year rule of Gaza. The appointees will direct day-to-day affairs in Gaza, under the supervision of a Trump-led “Peace Council,” whose members have not yet been named.
The ceasefire agreed under Trump’s 20-point plan took effect in October and ended much of the fighting. Under the first phase of the three-phase deal, Hamas released all but one of the hostages it held in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel.
The technocratic committee that Witkoff said would be created in the second phase will be responsible for providing public services to Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians, but it faces daunting challenges and unanswered questions, including regarding its operations and financing.
The United Nations has estimated that reconstruction will cost more than $50 billion. The process is expected to take years and little money has been pledged so far.
There is also the more immediate challenge of figuring out how to support basic services after nearly two decades of Hamas-led rule in Gaza and repeated cycles of conflict with Israel.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
