Washington Announces Launch of Second Phase in Gaza, Welcomes Palestinian Technocratic Administration

Washington – Said Arikat

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced the start of the second phase of its political plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, a move described as a transition from temporary de-escalation to a path of re-engineering the security and administrative landscape in the afflicted Strip. The announcement coincided with Washington's welcome of the Palestinian-regional consensus on forming a fifteen-member Palestinian technocratic committee to manage Gaza during a transitional phase.

Steve Witkoff, the US President's Special Envoy, stated in a statement published on the "X" platform that the United States, on behalf of President Trump, is launching the second phase of the twenty-point American plan, which aims to transition from a ceasefire to disarmament, establish a technocratic government, and initiate comprehensive reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Witkoff clarified that the new phase stipulates the establishment of a transitional Palestinian administration with a technocratic character, named the "National Committee for Gaza Administration," which will be responsible for managing daily life affairs, overseeing reconstruction, and leading the process of complete disarmament, especially the withdrawal of weapons from all individuals and entities not officially authorized.

The US envoy affirmed that Washington expects full compliance from Hamas with its commitments, foremost among them the immediate release of the body of the last deceased hostage, warning that any breach of obligations would lead to "dire consequences." In contrast, Witkoff stressed that the first phase of the American plan contributed to providing unprecedented humanitarian aid, maintaining the ceasefire, returning all living hostages, in addition to recovering the remains of twenty-seven out of twenty-eight deceased hostages.

The US official praised the role of regional mediators, especially Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, considering their diplomatic efforts crucial in achieving the progress made so far and paving the way for the more complex second phase.

For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati announced on Wednesday that a consensus had been reached on the names of the members of the Palestinian technocratic committee, affirming that the committee enjoys the support of all Palestinian factions. He expressed hope for the official announcement of its formation soon, in preparation for its dispatch to the Gaza Strip to take over the management of essential services and organize daily life affairs.

Abdel Ati stressed that the formation of the committee does not in any way mean the political separation of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, affirming that Egypt rejects any path that leads to entrenching division and adheres to the two-state solution as the only sustainable framework. He also expressed his anticipation for the launch of the second phase of the American plan immediately after the official announcement of the committee.

Circulating information indicates that some members of the committee reside within the Gaza Strip, while others are outside it, and the committee will temporarily be based in Cairo at the beginning of its work, which may necessitate the reopening of the Rafah crossing in coordination with Israel. However, the timing of the committee's start of work is still undecided, given the difficulties Washington faces in mobilizing the necessary international funding for the reconstruction program.

The anticipated committee is headed by Ali Shaath, former Deputy Minister of Transport in the Palestinian Authority, in an attempt to give a professional, non-factional character to the administration of the transitional phase.

The American plan, in essence, reflects a security-administrative approach more than a comprehensive political vision, as it focuses on disarmament and service management without addressing the roots of the conflict related to the occupation and Palestinian national rights. The establishment of a technocratic government stripped of political powers may provide fragile stability, but it does not constitute an alternative to a comprehensive political project, raising questions about the sustainability of this formula without a clear sovereign horizon.

It is worth noting that relying on a neutral technocratic committee seems theoretically attractive, but in practice it is fraught with challenges, given a divided Palestinian reality and a highly complex regional context. The success of the committee will not only depend on the competence of its members, but also on its ability to operate without Israeli security pressures or external dictates, a condition that is difficult to achieve in the absence of clear political and legal guarantees.

As for the disarmament process, it remains the most controversial item of the plan, as it is presented as a prerequisite for reconstruction, not as a result of an integrated political process. This approach reflects an imbalance in the balance of priorities and reproduces the equation of power instead of the equation of rights, which may turn reconstruction into a tool of political pressure, not a real gateway to achieving peace and stability.