Talks begin on next phase of Gaza peace deal

US negotiator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Washington is stepping up efforts to make the fragile ceasefire permanent. Meanwhile, Netanyahu said, “Israel will firmly implement the ceasefire with Lebanon as well as Gaza.”
The ceasefire in Gaza has been in effect for about a month. The fighting began on October 7, 2023, after a surprise attack by Hamas, which brought a pause in US mediation. The first phase of the ceasefire has seen some prisoner and detainees exchanged.
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner, who has been mediating the ongoing ceasefire, met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday (November 10). US efforts are underway to discuss how to stabilize the ceasefire and lay the foundation for its next phase.
Israeli government spokesman Shosh Bedrosian told reporters that the two leaders discussed some of the most sensitive issues of the second phase.
Bedrosian said, “Both discussed the first phase, which we are still working on. We discussed how to ensure the release of our remaining prisoners. We also discussed the future of the second phase. This includes the disarmament of Hamas, the military disarmament of Gaza, and ensuring that Hamas has no role in Gaza in the future.”
He added, “The second phase also includes the creation of an international stabilization force, and the details of this are now being discussed jointly.”