Trump Announces Support for Palestinian Technocratic Government in Gaza

President Donald Trump has endorsed the formation of a Palestinian technocratic government in Gaza, marking the commencement of the second phase of a ceasefire plan initiated in October.

In a social media post, Trump stated, "I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, supported by the Board’s High Representative, to govern Gaza during its transition."

The ceasefire plan, agreed upon by Israel and Hamas in October, outlines that this technocratic body will be overseen by an international "Board of Peace," intended to supervise Gaza's governance during the transitional period.

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 industrial zone development.

Despite the ceasefire, both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violations. Since the truce began in October, over 440 Palestinians, including more than 100 children, and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed.

The second phase of the ceasefire plan aims to address challenges such as disarming Hamas, further Israeli withdrawal tied to the disarmament, and deploying an international peacekeeping force.

Trump also mentioned that Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey will assist in securing a "comprehensive demilitarization agreement" with Hamas.

The conflict in Gaza since late 2023 has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, a hunger crisis, and the internal displacement of Gaza's entire population. Multiple rights experts, scholars, and a U.N. inquiry have described the situation as genocide. Israel has stated it acted in self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in their 2023 attack.