U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he supports a newly formed Palestinian technocratic panel to govern Gaza during a transitional period, as Washington announced the launch of a second phase of a ceasefire that began in October but remains fragile.
In a social media post, Trump said he was backing the “Palestinian Technocratic Government,” formally known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, to oversee governance in the enclave during its transition. The panel is part of Trump’s broader plan agreed to by Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in October.
Under the plan, the technocratic body will be overseen by an international “Board of Peace,” which Trump said he chairs. He added that the board has been formed and that its members would be announced shortly.
The Palestinian technocratic body will consist of 15 members and will be led by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Western-backed Palestinian Authority who previously oversaw the development of industrial zones, according to a statement by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.
Trump said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey would help secure what he described as a “comprehensive demilitarization agreement” with Hamas. He also praised the technocratic leaders as being committed to a peaceful future, though some experts have criticized Trump’s role as chair of the supervisory board, comparing it to a colonial-style structure.
The ceasefire, which went into effect in October, has been repeatedly tested. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violations, and since the truce began more than 440 Palestinians — including over 100 children — and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed.
The truce has also been strained by the failure to recover the remains of one last Israeli hostage, Israeli delays in reopening Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt, and Hamas’ refusal so far to disarm.
Moving into the second phase of the ceasefire will require mediators to confront difficult issues, including Hamas’ disarmament, further Israeli troop withdrawals tied to that process, and the deployment of an international peacekeeping force.
Israel’s assault on Gaza since late 2023 has killed tens of thousands, displaced the territory’s entire population and triggered a humanitarian crisis. Multiple rights experts and a United Nations inquiry have said the campaign amounts to genocide, a claim Israel rejects, saying it acted in self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in a 2023 attack.
