A woman and a child sit amid the rubble of a house destroyed in an overnight Israeli strike, next to another woman observing the rescue operation, in Gaza City on Oct. 29, 2025. (Credit: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP)
US President Donald Trump plans to announce before Christmas that his Gaza peace plan is moving into its second phase, according to American news website Axios and Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel.
This comes as the U.S.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with over 360 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the truce reached around two months ago, raising the number of Palestinian deaths since October 2023 to more than 70,000.
Citing two U.S. officials and a Western source directly involved in the process, Axios reported on Thursday that as part of his announcement before Christmas, Trump also plans to unveil the new governance structure for the enclave.
"All of the different elements are pretty well-advanced. It's all moving ahead, and the aim is to announce it before people break for the holidays," a Western source directly involved in the process told Axios.
According to the American news website, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in the U.S. before the end of the month to discuss the next phase of deal. Trump told Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday that he expects him to be a "better partner" on Gaza. Two days later, Trump said that phase two would commence “pretty soon,” without giving a specific date.
The second phase of the deal involves Israel pulling out of more of Gaza, an International Stabilization Force (ISF) deploying to Gaza, and a new governing structure coming into force, including the Trump-led Board of Peace.
Governing structure
U.S. officials say they're in the last stages of putting together the international force and the new governance structure for Gaza, which they hope to roll out in two or three weeks, Axios reported.
Citing a U.S. official, the Times of Israel reported that Trump will reveal the individuals and countries involved in the governance and security mechanisms that will be responsible for administering postwar Gaza.
Sitting atop the governing structure will be the Trump-led Board of Peace, which will include approximately 10 leaders from Arab and Western countries, the U.S. officials, cited by Axios, said. Below that will be an international executive board that will include former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and additional senior officials from countries represented in the Board of Peace.
A Palestinian technocratic government, which will include 12–15 Palestinians who have management and business experience and are not affiliated with Hamas, Fatah or other Palestinian party or faction, will operate under the executive board. The U.S. is in the final stages of achieving consensus with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and countries in the region on the composition of the technocratic government, the sources added.
Hamas' disarmament
However, according to the US official cited by the Times of Israel, while the US would like to announce the transition to phase two by the end of the year, the process may not be finalized by then.
That is because the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey have yet to finish talks with Hamas regarding its relinquishment of power and disarmament. The mediators are nevertheless "working to coax Hamas into agreeing to a disarmament plan that would begin with its surrender of heavy weapons such as rockets and missiles and, at a later stage, lighter weapons as well", the U.S. official said. However, Israel has pushed back, "insisting on a more immediate and holistic disarmament process before it agrees to withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip", the US official added.
Regarding that issue, the Western source involved in the talks told Axios that Egypt and Qatar are optimistic they'll reach an agreement with Hamas, but Netanyahu is not, noting that the latter is "skeptical but committed to give it a chance to work."
"The big question is will Hamas agree to disarm and allow the new government to take power and govern the place. They can't be in government directly or indirectly through their weapons. The moment of truth will come in the next few weeks," he added.
The reports on the transition to phase two of the plan come as the release by Hamas of all live and deceased Israeli hostages, taken on Oct. 7, 2023, is nearly complete. The remains of only one deceased hostage have yet to be returned by the Palestinian group. This is a key element of phase one of the Trump's plan.
In parallel, in recent days, Israel has agreed under US pressure to open the Rafah crossing and allow Palestinians to leave Gaza for Egypt. Israel, Egypt and the U.S. are now discussing security arrangements that will allow Palestinians to return in the opposite direction.
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