Qatar's prime minister said Saturday the Gaza ceasefire has reached a "critical moment" as the first phase of the agreement winds down, with the remains of only one Israeli hostage still held by militants and no progress yet toward launching the next stage of the U.S.-brokered plan. Speaking at the Doha Forum, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said international mediators, led by the U.S., are working "to force the way forward" to phase two. "What we have just done is a pause," he said. "We cannot consider it yet a ceasefire." He said a full ceasefire requires a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, restored stability in Gaza and freedom of movement — conditions he said are not currently in place. Although the truce halted the heaviest fighting of the two-year war, Gaza health officials say more than 360 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since it took effect in October. In the latest violence, Shifa Hospital reported two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike northwest of Gaza City. Israel's military said it was unaware of a strike there but said soldiers killed three militants who crossed into an Israeli-controlled area and "posed an immediate threat." Israel's army says it has carried out several attacks against Palestinians attempting to cross ceasefire lines since the truce began. Second phase hasn't begun The first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan took effect Oct. 10, halting the fighting and allowing dozens of hostages held in Gaza to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israel sent a delegation to Egypt last week to discuss the return of the last hostage's remains. Phase two — which calls for deploying an international security force in Gaza, establishing a technocratic government, disarming Hamas and eventually withdrawing Israeli forces — has not yet begun. Arab and Western officials told The Associated Press that an international body overseeing the ceasefire, to be led by Trump, is expected to be appointed by year's end. The long-term plan includes a potential "pathway" to Palestinian independence. Sheikh Mohammed said even the next phase should be temporary and lasting peace requires establishing a Palestinian state, a position opposed by Israel's hard-line government. "This conflict is not only about Gaza," he said. "It's about Gaza. It's about the West Bank. It's about the rights of the Palestinians for their state." Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said questions remain about the proposed international security force, including which countries will join, how it will be run and what its first mission will be. Turkey is one of the ceasefire "guarantors," but Israel has rejected Turkish participation. UN agency seeks a clear role in Gaza One day after a broad international endorsement, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said its future role in Gaza remains unclear. Israel and the U.S. have sidelined UNRWA during the war, accusing it of cooperating with Hamas — a charge the agency denies. Tamara Alrifai, UNRWA's director of external relations, said the agency continues humanitarian and educational services but has been excluded from U.S.-led talks on phase two. She said UNRWA serves as the de facto public sector in Gaza, with 12,000 employees providing services that would be nearly impossible to replicate. "If you squeeze UNRWA out, what other agency can fill that void?" she asked. The U.S. halted funding in early 2024. Although the U.N. General Assembly renewed UNRWA's mandate through 2029, Alrifai said the agency's financial crisis persists. "Votes are great. Cash is better," she said. — Agencies
