US President Donald Trump said the United States has officially moved to Phase Two of his administration’s 20-Point Plan to end the Gaza conflict, shifting the focus from a ceasefire to demilitarisation, new governance and reconstruction.
“We have officially entered the next phase of Gaza’s 20-Point Peace Plan,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social late Tuesday. He said the ceasefire had allowed record levels of humanitarian aid to reach civilians in Gaza and had created the conditions for the next stage.
Trump said his administration is backing a Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), to run the territory during a transition period.
“I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government… to govern Gaza during its transition,” Trump wrote, adding that the leaders were committed to a peaceful future.
Demilitarisation central to Phase Two
Earlier, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the move to Phase Two in a post on X, saying it marked a shift “from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction.”
Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction.
Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic…
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) January 14, 2026
Witkoff said Phase Two includes the creation of the NCAG and the start of “full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza,” including the disarmament of all unauthorised armed groups.
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“The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage,” Witkoff said. “Failure to do so will bring serious consequences.”
Trump echoed that message, saying Hamas must return the remaining body held in Gaza and move quickly towards giving up its weapons.
“Hamas must immediately honour its commitments… and proceed without delay to full demilitarisation,” Trump said. “They can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”
Phase One outcomes
Witkoff said Phase One of the plan had kept the ceasefire in place, allowed large-scale humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and led to the return of all living hostages.
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He said the remains of 27 of the 28 deceased hostages had also been returned. Both Trump and Witkoff thanked Egypt, Turkey and Qatar for their role in mediating between the sides.
“We are deeply grateful to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar for their mediation efforts that made all progress to date possible,” Witkoff said.
The Gaza war began after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Trump returned to office in January 2025 and has since pushed a US-led peace framework focused on security, aid delivery and post-war governance.
The future of Hamas, the scope of demilitarisation and the long-term political status of Gaza remain major points of dispute.
