A de facto division of the Gaza Strip between areas controlled by Israel and those remaining under the rule of "Hamas" is becoming increasingly likely, multiple sources reported, quoted by "Reuters". US President Donald Trump's plan to move beyond the ceasefire and create a stable peace is stalling, according to six senior European officials with direct access to the negotiations.
According to them, the implementation of the second phase of the plan has been effectively halted, and the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure is likely to be limited only to the territories under Israeli control. This, they warn, could lead to years of division and de facto isolation between the two parts of Gaza.
Under the first phase of the plan, effective October 10, the Israeli army controls about 53 percent of Gaza, including much of the agricultural land, the southern city of Rafah, and parts of Gaza City. The remaining areas are under Hamas control, where more than two million people live in camps and among the ruins of destroyed cities.
The next phase involves Israel withdrawing behind the so-called "yellow line," establishing a transitional authority to govern Gaza, deploying a multinational security force, disarming Hamas, and beginning reconstruction. But so far there are no timelines, mechanisms or agreement for implementation.
"We all want this conflict to end, but the question is - how?", Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told a security conference in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
According to sources, if the US does not take decisive pressure to unblock the process, the Yellow Line will become a permanent border dividing Gaza, effectively cementing the current situation. Washington has drafted a UN Security Council resolution that would give a two-year mandate to the international force and transitional government, but many countries have refused to commit to participating.
Meanwhile, US Vice President J.D. Vance and Jared Kushner have said that reconstruction funds could begin to flow only to areas under Israeli control, an idea that analysts say could make the temporary division a permanent reality.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied his country has any intention of reoccupying Gaza, but has insisted on maintaining a buffer zone along the border to prevent a repeat of the attacks of October 2023.
On the ground, Israeli forces are building yellow concrete blocks marking the withdrawal line and new infrastructure on their side. Meanwhile, in the Palestinian-controlled areas, "Hamas" is reestablishing its presence, ensuring order and security in markets and food supplies.
According to the six European representatives, unless there is a fundamental change in the positions of Israel and "Hamas", or unless the US exerts serious pressure for the participation of the Palestinian Authority, Trump's plan will not proceed beyond the ceasefire.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in Manama: "Gaza must not remain in a no-man's land between war and peace."
According to expert estimates, the reconstruction of Gaza will cost at least $70 billion, but the Gulf Arab states refuse to finance it unless the Palestinian Authority is included in the process and a path to statehood is defined.
Jordan and the Palestinian Authority have reiterated that Gaza is an integral part of the Palestinian territory and that lasting peace and reconstruction are only possible with full Palestinian sovereignty.