Witkoff: Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Has Begun

By Mihailo S. Zekic • January 15, 2026

Phase Two of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict is launching, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced yesterday. However, nothing on the ground appears to be changing.

Phase One, which started in October, focused on a cessation of hostilities and Hamas releasing all hostages it kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners.
Phase Two entails a withdrawal of Israeli forces in exchange for a total Hamas demilitarization. Witkoff said this phase will also introduce the interim technocratic government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

But Witkoff’s announcement clashes with some severe realities:

Neither Israel nor Hamas has confirmed that they have begun implementing Phase Two.
The body of the final hostage, Ran Gvili, has yet to be returned, as stipulated by Phase One.
Israeli forces and Hamas gunmen are still skirmishing, each accusing the other of violating the ceasefire deal. As recently as Monday, Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli troops in Rafah, resulting in six of the terrorists being killed.

Hamas claims it is willing to dissolve its government and allow the technocratic government to take over, but it has given no timetable or tangible proof that it will follow through. It has also rejected full demilitarization. Israel says it will not withdraw from Gaza without guarantees that Hamas will meet its obligations.

When U.S. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, he called the agreement “potentially one of the great days ever in civilization.” He claimed in December he brought peace to the Middle East “for the first time in 3,000 years.” The reality in Gaza and the potential for more terror and bloodshed show that these claims are a farce.

There is no peace in the Middle East, and the Bible prophesies that far worse conflicts are about to erupt in this region and within Israel specifically. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).