Hamas, Israel move closer to implementing the second phase of the US-brokered Gaza plan
The Israeli military asserts that the yellow line marks a “new border,” while uncertainties persist over the role of the stabilization force in Gaza
As Israel and Hamas move toward the second phase of a United States-led blueprint aimed at ending Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, disagreements are emerging over the undefined mandate of an international stabilisation force proposed for the besieged enclave.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said on Sunday that the US draft “requires many clarifications”. He noted that while Hamas is willing to discuss “freezing or storing” its weapons during the current truce, it rejects any arrangement in which an international stabilisation force oversees disarmament.
“We welcome a United Nations force stationed near the borders to monitor the ceasefire, report violations and prevent escalation,” he said, adding that Hamas would not accept such a force having “any kind of mandate” inside Palestinian territory.
His remarks came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would meet US President Donald Trump later this month to discuss launching the next stage of the plan. Netanyahu said the meeting would centre on ending Hamas’s rule in Gaza and ensuring it honours its “commitments” under the proposal, which calls for the enclave’s demilitarisation.
“We face a second phase that is no less challenging, requiring Hamas’s disarmament and Gaza’s demilitarisation,” Netanyahu said at a news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
It remains unclear whether Hamas’s willingness to freeze or store weapons would meet Israel’s demand for complete disarmament. Naim said Hamas maintains its “right to resist”, adding that laying down arms could only be part of a broader process leading to a Palestinian state and a possible long-term truce lasting five to 10 years.
The US-drafted plan leaves open the possibility of eventual Palestinian statehood, a prospect Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected, arguing it would reward Hamas.
A vague and uncertain plan
Trump’s 20-point proposal outlines broad steps, such as establishing a stabilisation force and forming a technocratic Palestinian government overseen by an international “board of peace”, but offers few specifics or timelines.
While US officials say they expect “boots on the ground” early next year—and countries like Indonesia have signalled willingness to contribute troops—there is still no roadmap defining the force’s structure, command, or responsibilities.
Netanyahu acknowledged the plan’s ambiguity: “What will be the timeline? Which forces are coming? Will there be international forces? If not, what are the alternatives? These are all being discussed,” he said.
Phase two will begin once Hamas returns the final Israeli captive, a policeman killed during the October 7 attack. Netanyahu warned that this phase would be “more difficult”.
Even phase one has faced major obstacles. Israel has continued air strikes throughout the truce, killing more than 370 Palestinians, according to health officials, while accusing Hamas of delaying captive releases.
Israeli military declares yellow line a ‘new border’
The plan’s early steps included withdrawing Israeli forces behind a so-called yellow line in Gaza, though the Israeli army still controls 53 percent of the territory. On Sunday, the military declared the line a “new border”.
“We hold operational control over large portions of the Gaza Strip and will remain on these defensive lines,” said Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. “The yellow line is a new border serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a zone of operational activity.”
At the Doha Forum, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani warned that the truce is at a “critical moment” and risks collapsing without swift movement toward a permanent agreement.
He stressed that a real ceasefire “cannot be achieved without a full withdrawal” of Israeli forces, along with restored stability and freedom of movement for Palestinians—conditions not yet met in phase one. He made no mention of the yellow line.
As momentum builds for phase two, Israeli and Qatari officials reportedly met US counterparts in an effort to repair ties strained after Israel’s air strike on Doha in September, Axios reported.
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