U.S. says Gaza ceasefire must finish phase 1 before donors, stabilization force deployed
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Summary
At a year‑end State Department Q&A the Secretary said phase 1 — a border mechanism, a Palestinian technocratic authority and a Board of Peace — must be in place before an international stabilization force or reconstruction donor conference, calling peace an "action" requiring daily work.
The U.S. Secretary of State told reporters that the administration will not move to large‑scale reconstruction in Gaza until key security and governance steps in the ceasefire plan are completed. He said the first priority — which he called "phase 1" — is establishing border arrangements and a Palestinian technocratic body that can manage daily governance and receive international aid.
"Peace is a verb," the Secretary said, arguing that implementation and compliance — not only agreements on paper — determine whether reconstruction aid and donor conferences will be effective. He described a three‑phase approach that begins with a technocratic authority and a Board of Peace, followed by a stabilization force and then broader reconstruction.
The Secretary defended the administration's pursuit of a multilateral stabilization force, saying countries and potential contributors want clarity about the force's mandate, rules of engagement and funding before committing troops. "We owe them a few more answers before we can ask anybody to firmly commit," he said when asked about specific partners.
He also said the ceasefire achievements so far — including the return of hostages — constitute important progress but cautioned that completing phase 1 is the essential condition for expanding security and humanitarian access. The Secretary said donors want assurance that pledged funds will not be destroyed by renewed fighting and that a stabilization force will provide the necessary security for convoys and reconstruction.
The administration is racing to finalize the roster for the technocratic Palestinian body and to announce the Board of Peace; the Secretary said those steps will ‘‘allow us to firm up the stabilization force, including how it's going to be paid for, what the rules of engagement are, and what their role will be in demilitarization.’’
Next steps the Secretary described include naming the Palestinian technocratic group and agreeing on the stabilization force's composition and mandate; he said these elements are prerequisites to a successful donor conference and long‑term reconstruction planning.
