Trump Pushes for Second Phase of 'Gaza Deal' Negotiations

President Donald Trump is pushing Israel to move into the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which would include additional military withdrawals from the territory. Meanwhile, Washington is preparing to announce a temporary "Peace Council" to manage Gaza, according to Israeli reports. But this comes as Palestinian sources report 738 Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement over two months.

The pressure campaign highlights growing tensions over implementing the ceasefire deal that paused the war in Gaza. Israeli reports suggest major steps won't happen until Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month. The American plan would likely involve Israel pulling back to a narrower security strip closer to Gaza's borders.

Trump's administration wants to make progress on the withdrawal phases in the coming weeks. Hamas has handed over the bodies of all dead hostages except for police officer Ran Gvili, according to the reports. The US assessment is that Palestinian violations aren't significant, with most friction centered around tunnels in Rafah where dozens of Hamas fighters remain inside Israeli-controlled areas.

But the numbers tell a different story about ceasefire violations. Palestinian sources say Israel's 738 breaches have killed 386 Palestinians and wounded 980 others since the deal took effect. Just yesterday, Israeli forces launched airstrikes and artillery attacks on areas under their control in southern and eastern Gaza, including violent strikes west of Rafah and naval gunfire off Khan Younis that terrified displaced residents.

Hamas is pushing back against any talk of phase two. The group says Israel must fulfill its commitments from phase one before moving forward. They're particularly angry about comments from Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir, who said the "yellow line" represents Gaza's new borders. Hamas calls this a clear sign that Israel is backing away from the agreement and trying to create new facts on the ground.

The group points to Israel's continued demolition of Palestinian homes inside the so-called yellow line as proof the military operations that should have stopped on day one are still happening. Hamas says any discussion of phase two arrangements depends on clear pressure from mediators, the United States, and other parties to force Israel to fully implement phase one first.

This puts Trump in a difficult position as he tries to build on the ceasefire momentum. The administration's planned Peace Council for Gaza represents an ambitious attempt to create stability, but the ongoing violations show how fragile the current arrangement remains. For investors and regional markets, the situation creates continued uncertainty about Middle East stability and energy security.

The broader stakes involve Trump's ability to deliver on his promise of ending conflicts quickly. Success in Gaza could boost his credibility for other diplomatic efforts, while failure might complicate relationships with key allies in the region.