President Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday, as the administration seeks to reinvigorate momentum for the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire that risks stalling before its complex second phase begins.

Trump may leverage his strong relationship with Netanyahu to accelerate the peace process, particularly as the Israeli leader faces criticism for not pushing his side to move quickly enough. While the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely held since its implementation in October, progress has recently slowed with both sides accusing each other of violations.

The initial phase of the ceasefire began days after the two-year anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people. Since then, all but one of the 251 hostages taken during the attack have been released, either alive or dead.

The next phase presents significantly greater challenges. Trump’s 20-point plan, which received approval from the U.N. Security Council, outlines an ambitious vision for ending Hamas’ rule in Gaza and establishing a new governance structure.

“This is going to be a really tall order, I think, for President Trump to get Netanyahu to agree,” said Mona Yacoubian, director and senior adviser of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “How he does that, what kind of pressure he puts on Netanyahu, I think, is going to be important to watch for.”

The second phase envisions rebuilding a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision by a group chaired by Trump known as the Board of Peace. Palestinians would form a “technocratic, apolitical” committee to manage daily affairs in Gaza under this board’s supervision.

The plan also calls for normalized relations between Israel and Arab nations, creating a potential pathway to Palestinian independence. Complex logistical and humanitarian challenges remain, including rebuilding war-devastated Gaza, disarming Hamas, and establishing a security apparatus called the International Stabilization Force.

The Board of Peace would oversee Gaza’s reconstruction under a two-year, renewable U.N. mandate. Its members were expected to be named by year’s end and might be revealed after Monday’s meeting, though the announcement could be postponed until January.

This will be Netanyahu’s first in-person meeting with Trump since the president visited Israel in October to mark the ceasefire’s initial implementation. Netanyahu has previously visited Mar-a-Lago, including a July 2024 meeting when Trump was still campaigning for reelection.

The meeting follows recent talks in Florida between U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and officials from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, who have been mediating the ceasefire.

Two primary challenges have complicated progress toward the second phase, according to an official briefed on those meetings. Israeli officials are taking considerable time to vet and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list provided by mediators, while Israel continues military operations in Gaza.

A significant point of contention surrounds the International Stabilization Force. A Western diplomat indicated there exists a “huge gulf” between the U.S.-Israeli understanding of the force’s mandate and the perspectives of other regional countries and European governments.

The U.S. and Israel want the force to have a “commanding role” in security duties, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. However, countries being asked to contribute troops fear this mandate would transform it into an “occupation force.”

Hamas has expressed willingness to discuss “freezing or storing” its weapons but maintains its right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. U.S. officials have suggested potential cash incentives in exchange for weapons, similar to a “buy-back” program previously proposed by Witkoff.

The reconstruction of Gaza presents another complex challenge. Israeli military operations have reduced neighborhoods in several Gaza cities to rubble-strewn landscapes with damaged buildings and widespread debris.

Regional powers including Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are pushing for a negotiated deal on disarming Hamas and additional Israeli withdrawal from Gaza before implementing other elements of the plan. This appears to contradict U.S. proposals to quickly begin constructing temporary housing for Palestinians in southern Gaza areas still under Israeli military control.

According to three officials, the United Arab Emirates has agreed to fund reconstruction efforts in Gaza, though discussions continue and plans remain in flux. A proposed map created by the U.S. shows designated areas for “UAE Temporary Emirates housing complex” and a “U.S. planned community area” inside Israeli-controlled territory in Gaza.

As Trump and Netanyahu prepare to meet, the path forward remains fraught with diplomatic challenges and competing priorities that will test both leaders’ commitment to advancing the peace process in one of the world’s most volatile regions.