DOHA, December 5. /TASS/. International forces that are supposed to be deployed to the Gaza Strip will only be tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the Al Arabiya television channel said, citing an unnamed Hamas official.

"International forces will only be monitoring the ceasefire. Their task will be to disengage the parties to prevent clashes," he said, adding that Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Turkey support this idea.

As for Gaza’s administration, the Hamas official stressed that the group "doesn’t intend to continue governing" the enclave and has agreed to form a committee of technocrats that will be mandated to rule the enclave. Members of this committee have already been agreed on, he added.

Al Arabiya reported earlier on Friday, citing sources, that the parties to the Gaza conflict and mediators had reached an agreement on the first steps toward disarming Hamas, including the group’s surrendering heavy weapons. According to the television channel’s sources, Hamas also confirmed to the United States that it is ready to cede control of the enclave as part of the peace process.

According to the Axios news portal, US President Donald Trump plans to announce the beginning of the implementation of phase two of his peace plan for Gaza before December 25. Phase two envisaged the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave and the deployment of an "international stabilization force," as well as the launch of the enclave administration structures, including the Board of Peace.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing residents of border settlements and taking more than 250 hostages. In response, Israel initiated a military operation in the Palestinian enclave to dismantle Hamas' military and political structures and free all hostages.

Israel and Hamas resumed Egypt-, Qatar-, United States-, and Turkey-mediated indirect talks on settling the situation in the Gaza Strip on October 6. On October 9, the parties to the conflict signed an agreement on the implementation of phase one of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan. The ceasefire came into effect on October 10. On October 13, Hamas and other Palestinian groups released all 20 living hostages and handed over the bodies of four deceased hostages under the Gaza ceasefire deal. The Israeli side expressed resentment that Hamas returned only four out of 28 bodies of deceased hostages. Later, Hamas transferred several more bodies to Israel. By now, Hamas continues holding one more body.