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Trump says phase two of ceasefire ‘begins right now’
The US president has hailed the release of Israeli captives in Gaza and asserted the ceasefire deal is immediately moving to its next stage toward a permanent end to the war.
“All 20 hostages are back and feeling as good as can be expected. A big burden has been lifted, but the job is not done,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“The dead have not been returned, as promised! Phase Two begins right now!!!”
Trump’s post comes as Israel announced it will only allow 300 aid trucks into Gaza each day, half of what it agreed to under the ceasefire. It said the move was made because of Hamas’s slow effort to hand over the bodies of dead captives.
Your deal is already dead...
Egypt announces 15 approved technocrats to lead Gaza
Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s foreign minister, says 15 Palestinian technocrats have been chosen to administer Gaza with approval from Israel, Hamas and all other Palestinian factions.
“We need to deploy them to take care of the daily life of the people in Gaza, and the Board of Peace should support and supervise the flow of finance and money, which will come for the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said, referring to a board that would govern Gaza and be chaired by President Trump.
Abdelatty said Hamas members welcomed Trump’s plan. They “have no role in the transitional period. They are committed to that. That is why they are working on an administrative Palestinian committee to be deployed in order to take care of the daily life of the people of Gaza”.
For its part, Israel has to comply with a withdrawal from Gaza, allowing a free flow of aid, and the deployment of the administrative committee on the ground to ensure security for civilians, Abdelatty said.
Hamas also must honour its commitments, he added.
Gaza people urge international reconstruction begins immediately
Palestinians in Gaza have appealed for the international community to move quickly to restore some semblance of normality in the largely destroyed Strip.
Mohamad Abu Hajras, a displaced Palestinian from southern Khan Younis, said he’s hopeful the ceasefire agreement will swiftly lead to Gaza’s reconstruction.
“There is no infrastructure, electricity, water, or anything that is fit for life,” Abu Hajras said.
On Tuesday, the UN development agency said the latest joint estimate from the UN, the European Union, and the World Bank is that $70bn will be required to rebuild Gaza.
Jaco Cilliers, a special representative for the agency, said $20bn would be needed in the next three years, and the rest would be needed over a longer period – possibly decades.
