• The U.S. announces the launch of the second phase of its Gaza ceasefire plan aimed at establishing governance and disarmament.
• Steve Witkoff highlights the need for Hamas to comply with the agreement, including the return of the last deceased hostage.
• A technocratic administration, named the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, is set to govern the territory.
• This phase marks a shift towards reconstruction, with reconstruction estimates exceeding $50 billion.
• Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar's mediation has been credited with facilitating progress in the peace initiative.

The United States has transitioned to the second phase of its Gaza ceasefire plan, as announced by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. He stated that this phase will entail disarmament, technocratic governance, and the reconstruction of the war-torn region. Specifically, the plan seeks to establish a transitional Palestinian administration known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which will oversee the operational management of Gaza, according to aa and scmp.

Witkoff specified that the U.S. expects Hamas to adhere fully to its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, notably the immediate return of the final Israeli deceased hostage, Ran Gvili. He warned that failure to comply could lead to "serious consequences" for the group, as reported by channelnewsasia and abcnews.

The newly formed NCAG will be comprised of 15 members, tasked with managing daily functions in Gaza, such as infrastructure, sanitation, and education. This committee is expected to operate under the oversight of a newly established "Board of Peace," which will include international leaders, including former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov, who is expected to manage the daily operations of the Board and the NCAG, as outlined by indiatimes and lemonde.

An essential part of this phase involves disarmament, which has been a contentious issue. Hamas has maintained that it will only disarm in tandem with the recognition of a Palestinian state, creating a significant hurdle for the implementation of the peace plan. Given that the previous phase included limited humanitarian aid and significant violence despite the ceasefire, the path ahead appears fraught with challenges, explained aa and lemonde.

The reconstruction of Gaza is projected to require at least $50 billion and several years, according to UN estimates. Witkoff highlighted the critical need for international cooperation in rebuilding efforts, while political factions have expressed their support for the establishment of the NCAG and called for better conditions to enable it to function effectively, reported by channelnewsasia and abcnews.