Representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey met in Miami on Friday to review implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and to advance preparations for the next stage, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff confirmed on Saturday.
Witkoff said the initial phase of the Trump administration-brokered deal had produced progress, including the return of all but one hostage, a partial IDF withdrawal, a reduction in hostilities and expanded humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
“In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order,” said Witkoff.
“We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability and long-term prosperity,” he added.
Witkoff said the mediators expressed support for the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration overseeing civilian governance, security and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
They also reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of Trump’s Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, “underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners.”
Witkoff said the mediators reaffirmed their “full commitment” to implementing Trump’s 20-point peace plan and called on “all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint and cooperate with monitoring arrangements.” He added that further consultations would continue in the coming weeks.
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department told JNS that Washington expects Hamas terrorists “to abide by the deal they signed,” after Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal rejected key elements of the peace plan.
“Hamas has agreed to all 20 points of President Trump’s 20 Point Plan. That means Gaza will be fully demilitarized for the sake of Gazans,” the State Department spokesperson said in a statement emailed to JNS.
The statement came after Mashaal rejected the U.S.- and U.N.-backed demands for the Palestinian terrorist group to disarm.
“Protecting the resistance project and its weapons is the right of our people to defend themselves,” he said, while calling for the destruction of the State of Israel.
“The resistance and its weapons are the honor and pride of the ummah [the Islamic nation],” Mashaal continued. “A thousand statements are not worth a single projectile of iron.”
Mashaal dismissed “all forms of guardianship, mandate and re-occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and all of Palestine,” rejecting another key part of Trump’s plan, which received unanimous support of the U.N. Security Council on Nov. 17.
The resolution endorsed a mandate for Washington and partners to establish an International Stabilization Force and a Board of Peace, which will serve as a transitional government authority for the coastal enclave.
The plan states that Hamas and other terrorists “agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form,” and that “all military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt.”
According to Nov. 17’s Security Council Resolution 2803, the International Stabilization Force will be responsible for the process of demilitarizing the Strip, including “the destruction and prevention of rebuilding of the military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, as well as the permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups.”
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told JNS on Dec. 8 that the U.S. should allow the IDF to “unleash the gates of hell” following Hamas’s truce violations in Gaza.
“Better sooner than later, and the Israeli public understands this,” said Ben-Gvir.
