The United States moves to unravel the peace plan Donald Trump for the Gaza Strip, which three months later has not even managed to completely stop hostilities in the Palestinian enclave. The special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoffannounced this Wednesday the beginning of the “second phase” of the 20-point agreement, which contemplates the disarmament of Hamas and the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in charge of maintaining order.
“The United States expects Hamas to fully comply with its obligations, including the immediate return of the last deceased hostage,” wrote the New York real estate investor turned diplomat. “Failure to comply with these obligations will lead to serious consequences,” threatened Witkoff, who demanded the return of Israeli military police officer Ran Gvilithe last kidnapped on October 7, 2023 whose body is still being held in Gaza.
Trump’s special envoy recalled in the publication that the road map that Israel and Hamas signed last October contemplates moving “from ceasefire to demilitarization”, in addition to defining “technocratic governance” and the steps for “the reconstruction” of the enclave, reduced to ashes after almost two years of war.
Whether the White House plan succeeds will depend on Israel ceasing its daily attacks on the half of Gaza it does not control and whether the Palestinian militia decides to hand over its weapons.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Badr Abdelattyhad announced a few hours before that the signatory parties of the agreement had agreed on the name of the fifteen members who will make up the Palestinian technical government for Gaza. “We hope that, following this agreement, the committee will be announced soon… and then deployed to the Gaza Strip to manage daily life and essential services,” declared the head of Egyptian diplomacy.
The Palestinian technical committee falls on the figure of Ali Shaatha native of Khan Yunis, who served as Deputy Minister of Planning in the Government of the Palestinian Authority. Shaath presents himself as a professional “specialized in civil engineering, with special attention to infrastructure, and extensive experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of development policies, strategies, programs and projects in a wide range of areas.”
According to the 20-point document, the Shaath administration will be “responsible for the daily management of public services and municipalities. This committee will be composed of qualified Palestinians and international experts.”
The Bulgarian politician Nickolay Mladenov He is emerging as the main favorite to lead the Peace Board that will oversee the governance of the Palestinian technical committee, a position initially reserved for the former British prime minister. Tony Blairwho suffered the veto of the Arab countries in the ceasefire negotiations for his support of the then president George W. Bush in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Mladenov, who traveled to Israel last week to meet with the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahuis also an experienced figure, seasoned in international forums and in the Middle East. He has been Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, MEP and UN special envoy in the region.
His agency will be tasked with “establishing the framework and managing financing for the reconstruction of Gaza until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program and can safely and effectively regain control,” according to Trump’s plan.