By Anietie Anii-Bassey
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has portrayed the announcement of a second phase of the fragile Gaza ceasefire as largely symbolic, tempering expectations of a breakthrough and raising fresh questions about how its most difficult provisions will be implemented.
In a late-night meeting Wednesday with the parents of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage whose remains are believed to still be held in Gaza, Netanyahu said that the proposed governing arrangements for the territory outlined under the second phase amounted to a “declarative move,” rather than a concrete step forward.
His comments stood in contrast to more optimistic assessments offered by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who had described the announcement as meaningful progress.
The meeting underscored the deep sensitivities surrounding the ceasefire. Gvili’s parents had urged the prime minister not to advance to the next phase until their son’s remains were returned, a demand echoed by Israel’s Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which said Netanyahu had earlier pledged that this would be a priority.
As news of the second phase emerged, Netanyahu reiterated to the family that securing Gvili’s return remained at the top of the government’s agenda.
While the formal move into a second phase was widely described as significant, it left many fundamental issues unresolved. Key among them is the composition and authority of an envisioned apolitical governing committee of Palestinian experts, as well as the role of an international “Board of Peace” meant to oversee aspects of Gaza’s transition.
Uncertainty also surrounds the timeline for deploying international forces, reopening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, disarming Hamas, and launching the massive effort required to rebuild the devastated territory.
On the ground in Gaza, many Palestinians expressed skepticism that the announcement would bring immediate relief. Residents said that despite repeated declarations of progress, daily life remains marked by danger, deprivation and displacement.
Local health officials reported that more than 450 people have been killed since Israel and Hamas agreed to halt large-scale fighting in October, adding to a death toll that has climbed into the tens of thousands since the conflict began. Among the recent casualties, aid agencies say, are more than 100 children.
The overall number of Palestinians killed since the start of Israel’s military campaign has reached more than 71,000, according to Gaza’s health authorities. While Israel disputes those figures, the data is widely cited by international organizations and independent analysts in the absence of alternative comprehensive counts.
Displaced families sheltering in makeshift tents across southern Gaza said the ceasefire has yet to ease their suffering. Many continue to endure harsh winter conditions with limited access to food, fuel and medical care.
“We see on the ground that the war has not stopped, the bloodshed has not stopped, and our suffering in the tents has not ended,” said Samed Abu Rawagh, who was forced to flee Jabaliya and now lives in southern Gaza. “Every day there is suffering, from rain to sun to death.”
Others said they were waiting for concrete changes rather than political statements. Hamza Abu Shahab, from eastern Khan Younis, said he hoped the second phase would translate into the ability to return home and secure basic necessities. “We were happy with this news, but we ask God that it is not just empty words,” he said. “We need it to be real.”
Gaza’s more than two million residents are facing their third winter since the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251 others.
Since then, vast areas of the enclave have been reduced to rubble, and the lack of durable shelter has left hundreds of thousands exposed to cold, storms and disease.
The challenges looming in the second phase of the ceasefire are widely seen as more complex than those addressed in the first. Central among them is the fate of Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.
The group has said it is prepared to dissolve its governing administration to make way for the newly proposed committee, but it has not clarified what will happen to its armed wing or to the extensive network of civil servants and police affiliated with the movement.
Israel has maintained that any lasting arrangement must include Hamas fully disarming, a demand the group’s leaders have repeatedly rejected despite the prolonged conflict. Hamas officials have insisted that Palestinians retain what they describe as the right to resist, signaling that negotiations over weapons are likely to be among the most contentious issues ahead.
Reconstruction presents another formidable obstacle. The United Nations estimates that rebuilding Gaza will cost more than $50 billion and take years to complete, yet only limited funding has been pledged so far. Without clear governance, security guarantees and sustained international support, analysts warn that recovery efforts could stall before they begin.
As the ceasefire edges into its next phase, Netanyahu’s cautious tone reflects the uncertainty surrounding the process. While diplomatic announcements continue, both Israelis and Palestinians remain divided between hope and doubt, waiting to see whether political declarations will finally give way to tangible change on the ground.
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