Gaza, Trump expects to announce start of second phase by Christmas

Turin, 5 December (LaPresse) – The Trump administration aims to announce the transition to the second phase of its peace plan for Gaza in about two weeks. A US official told the Times of Israel that the second phase concerns the establishment of governance and security mechanisms that will be responsible for administering post-war Gaza in place of Hamas. The US president will reveal the people and countries that will be involved in the mechanisms. The official clarified that the administration is still conducting final discussions with potential participants and, although it would like to announce the transition to phase two by the end of the year, the process may not be completed by that date. This is because the United States and Middle Eastern mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have yet to conclude talks with Hamas regarding the organisation’s relinquishment of power and disarmament. Hamas has said it is willing to cede control of Gaza to a government of Palestinian technocrats, but has spoken out against the idea of foreign bodies taking control of the enclave and has publicly stated that it will not give up its weapons.