Challenges Ahead: Trump's Gaza Peace Plan Faces Major Hurdles

Fri Jan 16 2026 10:01:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As President Trump's peace plan for Gaza enters its second phase, significant uncertainties and challenges threaten its implementation, particularly regarding weapons disarmament and governance.

President Trump's announcement of the second phase of his Gaza peace plan presents potential progress amidst significant challenges. A lack of clarity over the disarmament of Hamas and the governance of Gaza raises concerns about future stability. Hardline elements in Israel's government are poised for potential conflict, while the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with many residents lacking basic necessities.

On the face of it, the announcement of phase two of President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza would seem like progress.

But there remains a huge lack of clarity and detail about the future of the strip and the 2.1 million Palestinians who live there.

Furthermore, there are many pitfalls.

First, Trump's plan demands that Hamas, as well as other groups in Gaza, agree to disarm.

Announcing phase two of the deal, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said failure to do so would 'bring serious consequences'.

But Hamas has so far adamantly refused to give up its weapons, which it sees as tools of resistance to Israel's decades-long military occupation.

If it maintains that position, there are already far-right members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government who are champing at the bit to resume the war and 'finish the job'.

While massively diminished militarily, US intelligence has long estimated that Hamas has likely recruited more new members in Gaza than have been killed by Israel during the war.

The ceasefire, which has been in place since October last year, is already fragile at best.

Both sides have accused each other of repeated violations.

More than 450 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since it came into force, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

The Israeli military says three of its soldiers have been killed in attacks by Palestinian armed groups during the same period.

Secondly, there is little clarity over how much Israel will be required to withdraw its forces from Gaza.

It has given no indication that it is willing to pull back completely, insisting it needs to maintain a strong security presence in Gaza.

Israeli officials talk of 'a new reality' in Gaza, insisting that the strip will never go back to the way it was before Hamas launched its deadly attack on 7 October 2023.

So, there could be continued wrangling over how far Israeli forces withdraw.

Then there is the issue of governance.

Who will run Gaza, if not Hamas, which came to power after winning Palestinian elections almost exactly 20 years ago?

Who will provide policing, security, schools, hospitals?

For more than a year now, there has been the idea that some sort of International Stabilization Force could provide security in Gaza.

Egypt, Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have all been suggested as potential contributors to this force.

However, none have committed, and again, the details remain murky.

Anyone seen as 'riding in on the back of Israeli tanks' is likely to meet a frosty reception from Palestinians in Gaza.

Under Trump's peace plan, Gaza will supposedly have three levels of governance.

The strip will be run by a new government of technocrats made up of figures from civil society within Gaza. The names of its members were announced on Wednesday, with Hamas having agreed to have no role in the government.

Above that will be an Executive Committee based outside Gaza to oversee the new government's work, likely made up of non-Palestinians, with figures like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair among those proposed.

However, Blair is widely distrusted by Palestinians, seen as too close to Israel, along with his controversial role in the invasion of Iraq.

Finally, at the top will be the Board of Peace, with Trump as its chair. Proposed members include the current British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, Italy's leader Giorgia Meloni, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Many Palestinians question the legitimacy of foreign figures effectively running Gaza, seeing it as a form of colonialism.

But the pressing humanitarian situation adds urgency to the conversation.

Though more aid is entering Gaza since the ceasefire, aid agencies report that it is still insufficient. Hundreds of thousands are homeless and living in makeshift tents amid severe winter conditions.

With torrential rain and cold temperatures exacerbating their plight, the population struggles, especially children who have missed education for over two years.

Thus, while the second phase of the peace plan appears to offer some hope, significant obstacles lead to skepticism about its potential effectiveness.