The US is preparing to put forward a new resolution to the UN Security Council that would see the formation of an international stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip, with reports stating that Washington has stressed there is a possibility of a credible path to self-determination and a Palestinian state.
The draft resolution is based on US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan. It states that the US will create a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for prosperous coexistence.
According to Israeli media, the draft also states that a board of peace would serve as Gaza's transitional governing body until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform programme and can assume control.
It adds that once the PA does so, conditions may finally be in place for a credible path to self-determination and a Palestinian state.
The proposal also outlines conditions for the withdrawal of the Israeli army, saying that when the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) achieves control and stability, the Israeli forces will withdraw from the Gaza Strip based on standards and timelines related to disarmament agreed upon by the ISF, the guarantor and the US.
The Israeli army would then maintain a perimeter around Gaza, described as a peripheral security presence, until the area is properly secured against any renewed threat.
This comes as divisions begin to emerge over post-war arrangements in Gaza.
Moscow, Beijing and several Arab states have already rejected any proposals that would create a new council to administer the enclave or that would diminish the role of Palestinian actors during the transitional phase.
Washington has pressed for including a peace council as one of the mechanisms for implementing the ceasefire, The New Arab's Arabic edition reported.
Israel's security establishment was also surprised this week after receiving a request from Washington informing them that the construction of a new Gaza is set to begin, referring to the rebuilding of cities under Israeli army control along the so-called Yellow Line.
According to Haaretz, the first phase of the plan will involve the reconstruction of Rafah, followed by other cities east of the Yellow Line, including northern Gaza.
After construction is completed, the Israeli army will withdraw, while the Yellow Line is intended to divide the territory into 'new Gaza' on the east and 'old Gaza' on the west, the report said, citing an unnamed Israeli security source.
The report notes that the plan has fuelled concerns in Israel that major decisions are not being shared with Israeli officials, and that the US appears to be leaving the army without support in 'old Gaza'.
"No one is willing to take responsibility for the old Gaza, and this leaves us with a problem that will be very difficult to deal with. In the security establishment, they are frustrated by the lack of discussion on the subject, and all the instructions regarding Gaza come from American officials, not from the political level in Israel," a former security official was quoted by Haaretz as saying.
The latest developments come as nations ramp up pressure to ensure the ceasefire lasts and leads to comprehensive peace.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, in a phone call on Thursday with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, called for concerted efforts to ensure the ceasefire was maintained.
Turkey also reiterated that its primary expectation of the proposed international force is the provision of guarantees that the ceasefire will continue and that aid will enter Gaza without obstruction.
Earlier this week, Israeli media reported that the US and Israel are already working on alternative plans to the ceasefire, a plan B, if the truce collapses.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the body of a captive handed over by Hamas was identified as Meny Godard.
Hamas's military wing confirmed that it handed over the body on Thursday evening, saying in a post on Telegram that it was found south of Khan Younis, an area heavily bombed by Israel throughout the war.
Since the ceasefire came into effect, Hamas has handed over twenty-five bodies, with three more expected to be handed over under the terms of the truce.
Israeli warplanes also carried out airstrikes on Friday, targeting areas inside the Yellow Line in the southeastern area of Khan Younis.
Israeli forces shelled areas inside the Yellow Line east of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.
The violations of the truce coincide with dire conditions in Gaza as winter approaches, with most of the population still living in inadequate makeshift shelters.
Local media reported that scores of tents were flooded by rainwater late on Thursday evening, leaving civilians struggling to stay warm and dry.
UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini warned that millions of Palestinian refugees could lose access to life-saving services unless the agency receives significant funding.
Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, at least 69,187 Palestinians have been killed, while more than 170,703 have been wounded.
Leading rights groups, including Amnesty International, have determined that the war amounts to genocide.