The presidential special envoy said the next part of the peace plan will see the demilitarization of Hamas and the start of reconstruction efforts.
WASHINGTON—Presidential peace envoy Steve Witkoff, on Jan. 14, announced the start of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
In an X post on Wednesday, Witkoff said the second phase will move Gaza from an initial cease-fire into a period that will see the demilitarization of Hamas and the establishment of a technocratic governance model.
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.
— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) January 14, 2026
Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic…
He said the second phase will also see the start of reconstruction for the war-torn territory.
The Gaza peace plan began in October, and the overall strategy is supposed to proceed in three phases and achieve the 20-point plan Trump laid out in September.
“Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and begins the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel,” Witkoff wrote.
It remains unclear who will comprise Gaza’s interim government. Trump has repeatedly described this government as the Gaza “Board of Peace” and said he will chair the body.
Trump’s 20-point plan includes an offer of amnesty for Hamas members who willingly lay down their arms, as well as an offer of safe passage for Hamas members seeking to leave the territory.
The scope of Gaza’s reconstruction is also unclear.
In October, a representative for the United Nations’ Development Programme shared an estimate that Gaza had sustained around $70 billion in damages over the course of more than two years of conflict.
The first phase of the deal was supposed to include the release of all Israeli hostages, living and dead, held by Hamas.
Thus far, Hamas has returned the remains of 27 out of 28 deceased hostages.
Witkoff warned that Hamas must return the remains of the last person.
“The United States expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff wrote.
By Ryan Morgan
