A Precarious Phase 2 ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – CEASEFIRE
It’s been over a month since the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal in Gaza went into effect, and world leaders are now turning to the second, far more complex phase of the U.S.-brokered peace framework. These conversations kicked off in earnest on Tuesday, when G-7 foreign ministers gathered in Ontario, Canada, to hash out how to carry out the next stage. But as Phase 2 provides no timelines or mechanisms for implementation, experts worry that peace efforts could break down. Under the second phase of the Gaza cease-fire deal, Israel must withdraw farther from the so-called yellow line until it fully leaves the territory, Hamas must completely disarm to allow for a transitional authority to govern Gaza, and a multinational security force must deploy to the area to take over from the Israeli military. However, several obstacles stand in the way, including Hamas refusing to relinquish its weapons; Israel rejecting any involvement of the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank; and uncertainty over the makeup of the multinational force. “We’re still working out ideas,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said this month. “Everybody wants this conflict over. All of us want the same endgame here. Question is: How do we make it work?” According to private documents obtained by Politico, several Trump administration officials have expressed doubts that the peace deal’s second phase can be implemented. In a presentation given to U.S. Central Command and members of the newly created Civil-Military Coordination Center last month, experts shared concerns that the multinational security initiative planned for...
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