Gaza Peace Phase Two Stalled — Hamas Refuses Full Disarmament

Phase Two of the Gaza ceasefire — declared to have commenced on January 14, 2026 by US envoy Steve Witkoff — remains stalled as of late March 2026. Hamas refuses full disarmament of heavy weapons, insisting on Israeli withdrawal from the ~53% of Gaza under Israeli military control first. Netanyahu publicly demands full Hamas demilitarization before any Israeli withdrawal. The Trump administration has shifted its primary diplomatic focus to the Iran war, delaying Gaza Phase Two implementation. International stabilization force (ISF) plans have not materialized.