Under the soaring ceilings of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, a high-stakes diplomatic dance unfolded on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and the European Union’s new foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stood side-by-side to deliver a clear message: the fragile ceasefire in Gaza must transition immediately into its next, more stable chapter.
The focus of their joint news conference was the long-awaited “Phase Two” of a peace plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The centerpiece of this stage is the establishment of the Board of Peace, a transitionary body designed to steer Gaza away from the shadows of war and toward a technocratic future.
The Architect of a New Gaza
Under the proposed framework, the Board of Peace is intended to be the ultimate overseer of a transformed enclave. Its mandate is ambitious and complex, including:
- Supervising a Technocratic Government: Mentoring a new, apolitical Palestinian administration to manage daily civilian life.
- Demilitarization: Overseeing the systematic disarmament of Hamas.
- Security Transition: Coordinating the deployment of an International Stabilization Force to replace departing Israeli troops.
- Reconstruction: Managing the massive funding and logistical effort to rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure.
“We are moving in all directions in order to start executing the specifics related to the second phase,” Minister Abdelatty told reporters. He hinted that the United States would “announce soon” the exact makeup of the board and its accompanying technocrat committee.
A Ceasefire Strained to the Limit
While the first phase of the ceasefire—initiated in October 2025—brought an end to the most intense “carpet bombing” campaigns, the peace remains hauntingly thin. Since the truce began, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that the Israeli military has killed more than 400 people, with total casualties since October 2023 climbing to a staggering 71,391.
EU Chief Kaja Kallas did not mince words regarding the humanitarian gridlock. She criticized Hamas for its refusal to disarm and called out Israel for restrictions on international NGOs.
“Without NGOs, aid cannot reach the necessary scale in Gaza,” Kallas warned. “There is no justification for the humanitarian situation to have deteriorated to the current level.”
The Rafah Lifeline
A significant portion of the talks centered on the Rafah crossing. Egypt is currently pushing for the gate to reopen in both directions to allow stranded Palestinians to return home.
Kallas and Abdelatty discussed a return to the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, which could see EU monitors redeploy to the border to facilitate a secure flow of aid and people.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm stance against any political “decoupling” of the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, insisting that the two territories must remain an inseparable foundation for any future Palestinian state.
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