January 20, 2026
Key Points:
- On January 14, the Trump Administration announced initial steps toward implementing Phase 2 of the Gaza Peace Plan, including the creation of an international Board of Peace to oversee stabilization and reconstruction alongside the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian transitional governing authority for Gaza.
- These mechanisms are intended to avoid a security and governance vacuum following the conflict, enable a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, and create the infrastructure and conditions for sustained humanitarian assistance, economic recovery, and longer-term political stability. As Phase Two begins, the final hostage remains of Ran Gvili must be returned without delay.
- For Democrats, Phase 2 is central to ensuring that Israel is secure, Hamas is removed from power, humanitarian aid is distributed safely and consistently, and Palestinian dignity and livelihoods are restored. However, critical details regarding sequencing, timelines, and implementation remain undefined. Democrats should press the Administration to demonstrate tangible progress on the ground, including clear objectives, benchmarks, and timelines.
New Governing and Oversight Mechanisms for Gaza
- The Board of Peace, chaired by President Trump, is envisioned as the top oversight body for implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan and could ultimately include dozens of world leaders.
- A founding Executive Board, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and others, will operationalize the Board of Peace’s strategy and oversee stabilization and reconstruction.
- The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), led by Dr. Ali Sha’ath and composed of Palestinian professionals unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, is intended to be Gaza’s technocratic governing authority. Currently based in Cairo, the NCAG is tasked with restoring core public services and rebuilding civil institutions.
- A separate 11-member Gaza Executive Board, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and UN Middle East peace coordinator Sigrid Kaag—the only woman reported to be involved in these efforts—will oversee the NCAG’s efforts.
- Gaza Executive Board Member Nickolay Mladenov, former Bulgarian Defense Minister and UN Envoy for the Middle East, will serve as the High Representative for Gaza, acting as the principal link between the international oversight structure and the Palestinian governing authority.
- U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers has been appointed Commander of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is expected to conduct security operations, support demilitarization, and enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction materials.
Why This Matters to Democrats
- For Democrats, Phase 2 implementation is about demonstrating that providing security, humanitarian relief, and accountability are not competing goals but critical steps toward stabilization, sustaining the ceasefire, and providing for long-term regional security. Effective implementation is essential to improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza while ensuring Hamas is permanently removed from power and unable to reconstitute.
- The implementation of credible post-conflict governance and international oversight are indispensable to preventing Hamas’s return, minimizing civilian harm, ensuring reconstruction funds are responsibly managed, and avoiding an open-ended Israeli military presence in Gaza that risks entrenching instability rather than resolving it.
Key Challenges and Next Steps
- The success of Phase 2 will hinge on Hamas’s disarmament and removal from power, and whether the Administration can translate ambitious structures into operational reality. While numerous invitations have been extended to join the Board of Peace, its final composition remains unsettled, raising real questions about legitimacy, burden-sharing, and effectiveness. To date, only Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Argentina, and Morocco have confirmed participation.
- Although three-year Board appointments reportedly carry no financial obligation, concerns persist about a reported $1 billion contribution requirement for permanent membership, which could limit participation and reinforce perceptions that access and influence are being monetized.
- Compounding these concerns, President Trump has suggested the Board could function as an alternative to the UN Security Council in resolving conflicts globally, raising questions about the Board’s mandate, legal authority, and relationship to existing international institutions.
- The Administration is expected to convene the Board of Peace this week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, an early opportunity to demonstrate seriousness by finalizing membership, clarifying authorities, mobilizing reconstruction resources, and establishing accountability frameworks.
- Similar uncertainty surrounds the ISF. While countries such as Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Pakistan have been mentioned in media reports, progress in assembling the ISF has been slow, with many potential contributors reluctant to assume combat or enforcement roles. Without a clearly defined mandate, force composition, and deployment timeline, the ISF risks becoming a conceptual placeholder rather than a credible security mechanism.
- Equally critical is the rapid implementation of Gaza’s governing mechanisms. The NCAG and related bodies must begin operating inside Gaza and delivering basic services to establish legitimacy and unlock reconstruction. Delays will undermine public confidence, empower spoilers, and slow recovery and reconstruction.
- Israel has also raised concerns about key elements of Phase 2 implementation. Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a statement last weekend noting that the Gaza Executive Board was announced without coordination and asserting that aspects of its composition run counter to Israeli policy, widely viewed as pushback to the inclusion of Qatari and Turkish officials. Israel has previously signaled resistance to any accelerated withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces from Gaza absent demonstrated demilitarization and a credible, enforceable security framework.
- Finally, amid a crowded global agenda, sustained attention and follow-through from President Trump will be critical to prevent Phase 2 from stalling, leaving Israel without a viable exit strategy, Palestinians without credible governance, and the international community without a coherent path forward. Democrats should underscore that success in Gaza will only be judged by measurable progress on security, governance, and humanitarian outcomes on the ground.