US announces start of Gaza ceasefire second phase

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Julian Borger and Lorenzo Tondo in JerusalemJanuary 14, 2026 at 08:28 PM

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The US has announced the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which includes establishing a committee of Palestinian technocrats to administer the territory during a transition period. Announced by US envoy Steve Witkoff, details remain scarce, including the committee's members and start date, pending approval from a yet-to-be-created "peace board." This phase aims for the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, but no agreement has been reached on disarming Hamas. The first phase involved hostage exchanges and a partial Israeli withdrawal, though bombardment has continued. Egypt's foreign minister announced an agreement on the committee's 15 members, who are expected to manage daily life and essential services in Gaza, overseen by Nickolay Mladenov. The US is demanding Hamas return the remains of a deceased hostage, warning of consequences for non-compliance.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Egypt 50% Nickolay Mladenov 50% Fatah 50% Badr Abdelatty ×260% Palestinian Authority ×260% Palestinians ×270% Donald Trump ×270% Israel ×280% Steve Witkoff ×380% United States ×390% Hamas ×590% Gaza ×795%

Keywords

gaza ceasefire 100% palestinian technocrats 80% transition period 70% demilitarisation 60% hamas 60% reconstruction of gaza 50% hostage release 50% palestinian authority 40%