Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov faces perhaps his most difficult task yet. As the newly minted High Representative for Gaza, he must try to turn the US-brokered ceasefire into lasting peace.

A temporary line has separated most of Gaza’s Palestinians from an Israeli-held zone that has surrounded them since October’s ceasefire took effect.

The White House says the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is moving into its second phase, which includes the demilitarization of Gaza, a key point in President Trump's peace plan.

The US announced the start of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan on Wednesday as a new committee was formed to run the battered enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cast the announcement that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza would advance to its second phase as largely symbolic.

A temporary line has separated most of Gaza’s Palestinians from an Israeli-held zone that has surrounded them since October’s ceasefire took effect.

British and French leaders have agreed with Ukraine on a possible plan to send their soldiers into Ukraine in the future, but only if there is a real ceasefire or peace deal with Russia. The main goal is to stop Russia from attacking again while trying to avoid a direct war between NATO countries and Moscow.

AP Møller-Maersk, the world’s second-largest container shipping line, said it would resume travel through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, in the latest sign of a potential reopening of the key maritime corridor as the ceasefire in Gaza continues to hold.