Mediators are convening for fresh talks in Miami, Florida, as efforts to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement remain stalled, months after the truce came into effect on Oct. 10.
The meeting, which mediators say will focus on outlining a framework for the next phase, comes amid attempts to narrow gaps over key issues, including how Israel’s withdrawal would be carried out, how stabilization forces would be deployed, and the question of Hamas’ disarmament.
An analyst said the momentum could translate into concrete steps as early as next month.
Miami is hosting a meeting between US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior officials from the mediating countries, Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye, aimed at pushing forward the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, a White House official told AFP on Thursday.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a visit to Washington on Wednesday that preparations were under way for a mediators’ meeting on Friday to discuss a framework for advancing the second phase of the Gaza agreement.
Ahead of the Miami talks, Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim said in remarks that Palestinians expected the talks to result in an agreement to halt all Israeli violations and breaches, and to compel Israel to comply with the provisions of the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.
Palestinian political analyst Ayman Al-Raqab said the Miami meeting fell within efforts to bridge gaps related to the implementation of Israel’s withdrawal, the deployment of stabilization forces and Hamas’ disarmament. If the momentum continued, he said, concrete steps could be seen next month.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington’s approach at the Miami meeting should focus on implementing the agreement rather than rebuilding Rafah in a new form or dividing the Gaza Strip.
He said the gaps in the second phase were linked to Israel’s withdrawal, the deployment of stabilization forces and Hamas’ disarmament, adding that discussions should center on practical implementation solutions, not US proposals that serve Israeli ideas.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed on Friday, during talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Cairo, the need to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803 on the Gaza agreement and to operate the Rafah crossing from both directions.
Lavrov said diplomatic efforts must continue to ensure the sustainability of the Gaza ceasefire.
Abdelatty also discussed the situation with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in Cairo on Friday, reviewing ongoing Egyptian efforts to solidify and sustain the ceasefire and to implement the requirements of the second phase.
They stressed the need for unimpeded humanitarian aid access, preparing conditions for early recovery and reconstruction, and rejecting any measures that could undermine the unity of Palestinian territory or liquidate the Palestinian cause, according to a statement by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry.
The European Council welcomed, at the conclusion of a summit of leaders from the European Union’s 27 member states in Brussels, UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which calls for the establishment of a Board of Peace and a temporary international stabilization force as part of a plan to end the conflict in Gaza.
European leaders stressed the need to fully implement the resolution and ensure lasting security stability in Gaza, reiterating the EU’s commitment to a two-state solution and international law.
Al-Raqab said Egyptian efforts were banking on achieving a breakthrough alongside Qatar and Türkiye, reaching concrete mechanisms to implement the agreement amid European support for this path.
He added that any arrangements were awaiting a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump later this month, describing it as decisive.
