Phase Two

President Trump’s Board of Peace announced Thursday that Hamas will begin its “complete disarmament” in Gaza, entering phase two of last October’s U.S.-brokered peace plan.

Here’s a high-level refresher of the deal:

• Phase one: ceasefire, hostage swaps, humanitarian aid
• Phase two: Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, transitional Palestinian government
• Long-term: Gaza’s reconstruction

Phase two is beginning despite both sides acknowledging multiple ceasefire violations, and the path ahead looks equally rocky. Yesterday, Israel shared “serious safety concerns” with the White House about the disarmament process and noted that “disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less.” Meanwhile, Hamas says its disarmament is contingent on Israel ending “all forms of aggression.”

The Board of Peace unveiled the new 15-point disarmament roadmap on Friday, saying “verification” of every step needs “to be real.”

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PRAY WITH US
Give thanks to God for progress, and trust Him to bring eternal peace in the face of today’s unknowns.

Wonderful Counselor, you are the One who winds down wars and teaches peace (Isaiah 54:13). May your peace rule in the hearts of Israelis, Palestinians, members of Hamas, diplomats, U.S. officials, and all members of Christ’s body (Colossians 3:15-17). Bring evil plans to nothing and promote the good of the vulnerable, so that people from all nations would see your goodness and submit to the Prince of Peace. Amen.