type: timeline_event
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced the commencement of Phase Two of Trump's "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict" following the return of the final Israeli hostage. Trump established the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 15-member body of Palestinian technocrats led by former PA deputy minister Ali Shaath to manage day-to-day governance and reconstruction.
Trump created a "Board of Peace" to oversee the process, appointing himself as chairman with veto power. The executive board included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The board also controversially included senior Turkish and Qatari officials.
Netanyahu issued an unusually sharp public rebuke, stating the board's composition was neither coordinated with Israel nor aligned with its policies. Israel eventually joined despite Netanyahu's objections and despite the ICC arrest warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
At Davos on January 21-22, Trump unveiled the board's charter and issued an ultimatum: Hamas must disarm and release all remaining hostage remains "within weeks" or be "blown away very quickly." Phase Two focused on Hamas disarmament and demilitarization rather than reconstruction, with Netanyahu emphasizing this priority. Critics described Trump's approach as an "imperial agenda" seeking U.S. control over Gaza's future.