Gaza, MINA – Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Wednesday evening that the United States has notified Israel and international mediators that the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump is scheduled to begin in early January.
According to the report, which cited an unnamed senior Israeli official, US special envoy Steve Witkoff conveyed the timeline to the involved parties. The report added that Israeli officials are concerned that the Trump administration may push to advance to the second phase without ensuring the disarmament of Gaza—a key Israeli demand.
Israel and Hamas reached the two-phase ceasefire agreement on October 9 through mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, under US sponsorship. The deal is based on a 20-point plan put forward by President Trump to end the conflict. The first phase took effect the following day, but its implementation has been marred by hundreds of reported violations by Israel, particularly regarding humanitarian aid access.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health states that these violations have resulted in the deaths of more than 400 Palestinians since the truce began, despite Hamas’s stated full commitment to the agreement.
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Israel has also delayed the transition to the second phase, citing the continued holding of the body of one of its soldiers in Gaza. Palestinian factions maintain they are searching for the remains amid the widespread destruction caused by the Israeli aggression. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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