ANKARA: Turkiye expects the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal to begin early in 2026, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday, following talks with US, Qatari and Egyptian officials in Miami over the weekend.
Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, Fidan said the discussions focused on obstacles to advancing the deal to its next phase, adding that the priority was for Gaza’s governance to be taken over by a Palestinian-led group.
Representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye met on Friday in Miami to review the next steps on the Gaza ceasefire plan, according to a joint statement issued on Saturday by US envoy Steve Witkoff.
A ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 after a two-year Israeli offensive on Gaza, but the truce has been under intense pressure.
Israel has killed more than 400 people in the territory since it took effect and Hamas has also been accused of violating the agreement.
Along with a cessation of hostilities, the first phase of the truce deal included a ramping-up of much-needed aid supplies, and the return of Israeli hostages, including the deceased, and Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase is meant to see Israeli troops withdraw further, the establishing of an interim authority to govern the territory, the deployment of an international security force, and the disarming of Hamas.
The statement on Saturday from the mediating countries said the first phase of the agreement has led to progress in distributing humanitarian supplies, the return of hostages, partial force withdrawals, and a reduction in hostilities.
The talks on the second phase focussed on the new governing body in Gaza “to protect civilians and maintain public order,“ trade with neighboring countries, and infrastructure development.
The war, which started after a Hamas attack on southern Israel, led to an Israeli military campaign that killed more than 60,000 Palestinians and sparked a vast humanitarian crisis.
*With Reuters and AFP
