International body to govern Gaza expected by year-end

An international authority that will oversee the next phase of Gaza's US-brokered ceasefire is expected to be announced before the end of the year, an Arab official and a Western diplomat told the Associated Press on Friday.

Under the ceasefire terms, the authority — known as the Board of Peace and chaired by US President Donald Trump – will supervise Gaza's reconstruction under a two-year, renewable UN mandate. It is expected to include about a dozen leaders from the Middle East and the West, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A committee of Palestinian technocrats responsible for running day-to-day administration in post-war Gaza is also set to be unveiled. The Western diplomat said the announcement will likely coincide with Trump's upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month.

The ceasefire agreement also calls for an armed International Stabilization Force to provide security and ensure the disarming of Hamas, a key Israeli demand. The step would mark significant progress in implementing Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza, which has suffered two years of Israeli military operations against Hamas.

The truce, in place since 10 October, has come under strain due to sporadic violence and accusations of violations. The first phase is nearing completion, though Hamas has yet to hand over the remains of the final Israeli hostage required under the deal.

Talks are continuing over which countries will contribute troops to the international force. The Arab official said deployment is expected in the first quarter of 2026, a timeline echoed by a US official who said "boots on the ground" could become a reality early next year. Axios first reported the anticipated announcement.

Intense negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire are expected to begin soon, focusing on the difficult issue of Hamas disarmament. The plan requires Israeli forces to withdraw from the areas of Gaza they still control as the international force deploys.

Funding for Gaza's reconstruction remains unresolved, and some Palestinians have raised concerns over the absence of Palestinian representation in the governing authority and the lack of a clear commitment to eventual statehood. Netanyahu's government opposes a Palestinian state, while the deal offers only a vague pathway contingent on future conditions.

Israel, meanwhile, said it intends to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the coming days, as outlined in the ceasefire. That could allow Palestinians to leave Gaza after nearly two years of extremely limited movement. But Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar voiced "deep concern" on Friday, insisting the crossing must permit movement in both directions.

Egypt says Palestinians must be able to return to Gaza and will only support reopening if two-way movement is allowed. Israel says returns will not be permitted until the remains of the last Israeli hostages are recovered.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the eight countries said the Rafah crossing must allow full "freedom of movement" and reiterated their rejection of any attempt to expel Palestinians from their land.

Fresh violence also shook the region on Friday. Israel's military said its forces killed a man in northern Gaza who approached troops with another man carrying "suspicious objects." Another Palestinian man was killed in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the 38-year-old was shot by Israeli forces, while the military said he had thrown a rock.

The incidents added to fears that tensions could undermine the fragile ceasefire.

The latest Israel-Hamas war erupted after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel's ensuing offensive in Gaza has killed more than 70,100 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose casualty figures are widely viewed as credible by international agencies.