Representatives of the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey announced progress in implementing the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
A joint statement was published in X by Stephen Witkoff, special envoy of US President Donald Trump.
According to the document, representatives of the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey held talks on Friday in Miami, Florida, to assess the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and prepare for the transition to the second phase.
“The first phase has led to progress, including increased humanitarian assistance, the return of hostage bodies, a partial withdrawal of forces and a reduction in military action,“ the statement said. The parties stressed the need to establish a governing body in Gaza that would operate under the auspices of a “united government“.
The statement noted that the parties also discussed measures to establish trade ties, infrastructure development and energy cooperation in the region and expressed “support for the establishment of a Peace Council in the near future as a transitional governing body“. “Consultations with a view to moving to the second phase will continue in the coming weeks“, the parties stressed.
As of December 20, the body of an Israeli soldier killed on October 7, 2023, is still in the enclave.
As Axios previously reported, Trump plans to announce the start of the second phase of the Gaza peace agreement by December 25. The second phase of the deal includes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave, the deployment of international stabilization forces, and the commencement of work by the structures governing the Strip, including the so-called Peace Council.