Ceasefire in phase 2 despite disputes

A US-BACKED plan to end the war in Gaza has entered its second phase despite unresolved disputes between Israel and Hamas over alleged ceasefire violations and issues unaddressed in the first stage.

- 

PALESTINIANS stand in a destroyed house after an Israeli military attack on the home of the al-Houli family, in which four people were reportedly killed, west of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, yesterday.

(AFP)

The most contentious questions remain Hamas’s refusal to publicly commit to full disarmament, a nonnegotiable demand from Israel, and Israel’s lack of clarity over whether it will fully withdraw its forces from Gaza.

The creation of a Palestinian technocratic committee, announced on Wednesday, is intended to manage day-to-day governance in postwar Gaza, but it leaves unresolved broader political and security questions.

The first phase of the plan, part of a 20-point proposal unveiled by US President Donald Trump, began on October 10 and aimed primarily to stop the fighting in the Gaza Strip, allow in aid and secure the return of all remaining living and deceased hostages held by Hamas and allied Palestinian militant groups.

All hostages have since been returned, except for the remains of one Israeli, Ran Gvili.

Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the handover of Gvili’s body, while Hamas has said widespread destruction in Gaza made locating the remains difficult.

Gvili’s family had urged mediators to delay the transition to phase two.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said efforts to recover Gvili’s remains would continue but had not publicly commented on the launch of phase two.

Hamas has accused Israel of repeated ceasefire violations, including air strikes, firing on civilians and advancing the so-called “Yellow Line”, an informal boundary separating areas under Israeli military control from those under Hamas authority.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said Israeli forces had killed 451 people since the ceasefire took effect.