US aims for international Gaza force deployment early next year

Deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan. Under the first phase, a fragile ceasefire in the two-year-old war began on 10 October, and Hamas released hostages, and Israel freed detained Palestinians. "There is a lot of quiet planning that's going on behind the scenes right now for phase two of the peace deal," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday. "We want to ensure an enduring and lasting peace." (Read more at Business Standard)