Global & US Headlines
Phase-2 Gaza Ceasefire Stalls as Qatari Talks, Israeli Deadline Demand Expose Rift over International Stabilization Force
Between 17-20 Dec 2025, diplomatic efforts to launch the ceasefire’s second phase hit a wall: Qatar warned in Washington that any Gaza stabilization force must stay neutral, Israel privately pressed Washington for a firm deadline after which it will resume military action if the force fails to disarm Hamas, and fresh Israeli fire that killed five civilians underscored mounting ceasefire breaches.
Focusing Facts
- 17 Dec 2025: Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the 7th US-Qatar Strategic Dialogue in Washington to discuss advancing the Gaza deal.
- 20 Dec 2025: Israeli troops shot five Palestinians inside a Gaza City school, bringing post-ceasefire Palestinian fatalities to roughly 400, according to Gaza health authorities.
- Israeli officials told the Trump administration they want a 2–3-month deadline for the planned International Stabilization Force to disarm Hamas, or the IDF will “finish the job” (Washington Free Beacon, 20 Dec 2025).
Context
Great-power engineered peacekeeping missions in the Middle East have often floundered when core political disputes stay unresolved: UNIFIL, created in 1978 and enlarged in 2006, never disarmed Hizbullah; the 1982 Multinational Force in Lebanon withdrew after the 1983 barracks bombing. The current wrangling over a Gaza ISF echoes that history—outsiders promise security while the combatants keep their foundational goals intact. The controversy also reflects a 30-year trend toward outsourcing post-war governance to ad-hoc coalitions rather than the UN, mirroring NATO’s Kosovo Force or the US-led coalition in Iraq. Whether this moment matters a century from now will hinge on if it marks the start of a durable power-sharing model in Gaza or just another interim pause before the demographic and territorial pressures that have driven Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 1920 San Remo mandate era re-erupt. Failure would reinforce the pattern—from the 1949 Armistice Lines to the 1993 Oslo Accords—of agreements collapsing when enforcement relies on reluctant foreign troops, perpetuating a cycle likely to shadow the region deep into the 2100s.
Perspectives
Qatari/Turkish-aligned media
TRT World, Anadolu Ajansı, Daily Sabah, Middle East Monitor — They contend the proposed Gaza stabilisation force must treat both parties equally and stress that repeated Israeli ceasefire breaches are endangering progress toward phase two of the peace plan. Because Qatar and Türkiye serve as mediators and backers of Hamas talks, their outlets highlight Israeli violations while saying little about Hamas fire, bolstering their governments’ image as fair brokers.
Right-leaning U.S./Israeli hawkish outlets
Washington Free Beacon — They argue the international force will never disarm Hamas and insist the U.S. set a hard deadline so the IDF can resume operations to finish the job if necessary. By portraying military action as the only ‘common-sense’ solution, the coverage downplays humanitarian costs and matches the Israeli government’s political need to keep the option of renewed war open.
Western liberal press
The Guardian, AOL.com — Their reporting focuses on Israeli forces killing civilians during the truce and frames Israel as the primary violator undermining a fragile ceasefire that has already cost thousands of Palestinian lives. Heavy reliance on Gaza Health Ministry figures and rights-group language such as ‘genocide’ may tilt coverage toward a Palestinian victim narrative while giving less space to Israeli security claims or Hamas actions.