The White House has announced the initial members of its “Gaza Board of Peace”, a move that is unlikely to dispel criticisms that President Trump’s plan resembles a colonial solution imposed over the heads of the Palestinians. The panel’s composition, dominated by American figures with close ties to the Trump administration, has raised concerns about its impartiality and ability to deliver meaningful progress.
The “founding Executive Board” includes six American members, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, alongside the World Bank’s Ajay Banga and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. The “Gaza Executive Board” responsible for on-the-ground operations features several senior political figures and diplomats from Turkey, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the only Israeli member, businessman Yakir Gabay.
The plan’s architecture is further complicated by the fact that the Board of Peace itself, with President Trump as the chairman, will sit above the announced structures. The White House has yet to reveal the names of this supreme body, but reports suggest invitations have been extended to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Canadian leader Mark Carney.
Significant challenges remain in both rebuilding Gaza, which the UN estimates has seen 80% of its buildings destroyed or damaged, and establishing a lasting peace. Aid groups have accused Israel of continuing restrictions on their work, while Israel blames Hamas for exploiting relief efforts. Demonstrating meaningful progress on reconstruction, involving the removal of 60 million tonnes of rubble and the disposal of unexploded ordnance, will be a monumental task.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle is maintaining the fragile ceasefire itself. The White House has announced the appointment of Major General Jasper Jeffers to command the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which will have the difficult job of ensuring the demilitarisation of Gaza. However, there is no clear roadmap for how Hamas will be persuaded to give up its weapons, nor any clarity on which countries will provide troops for the force or its rules of engagement. Hamas has stated it will only disarm as part of a wider deal establishing a Palestinian state, while Israel has said it will only withdraw its troops if Hamas disarms.
Resolving this catch-22 may prove to be the greatest test of all for the Trump-led “Board of Peace” and its ambitious plan for Gaza.