Donald Trump constitutes ‘Board of Peace’, calls it the ‘most prestigious board ever assembled at any time’

US President Donald Trump announced the formation of the ‘board of peace’, which he claimed was going to be the “most prestigious board assembled at any time”. This is part of the US’ second phase of its plan to end the Gaza war. 

"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed. The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" said Donald Trump on Truth Social. 

WHAT IS THE BOARD OF PEACE?

Israel and Hamas had signed off on Trump’s plan to constitute the international ‘Board of Peace’ to govern Gaza for a transitional period. While no one has been named as part of the board, former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov is expected to represent the Board of Peace on the ground. The board is expected to include people from the private sector as well as NGOs.

It is also unclear how many members the board would include, but invitations have reportedly been sent out to potential members, as per a Reuters report that cited a US official. Another announcement regarding the board is likely to be announced at Davos next week. 

WHAT WILL THE BOARD OF PEACE DO?

The board will first focus on providing urgent relief for Gaza, including provision of housing for displaced Palestinians. 

Ali Shaath, former deputy minister in the Western-backed Palestinian Authority who had been in charge of developing industrial zones, said if the rubble from the destruction is pushed out to the sea, new islands could be made. “I can win new land for Gaza and at the same time clear the rubble. This won't take more than three years," he said in an interview.  It is estimated that rebuilding Gaza’s homes could take at least till 2040, but also drag on for many decades, as per a UN report in 2024.

WHAT IS THE US’ PEACE PLAN?

The United States announced the second phase of its plan to end the Gaza conflict, even as the first phase faced challenges, including ongoing Israeli airstrikes, difficulties in recovering the remains of an Israeli hostage, and delays in reopening the Egypt-Gaza border. Despite these setbacks, US officials and mediator partners are now turning to the complex tasks of disarming Hamas and deploying an international peacekeeping force.

President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated that phase two "establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza" and will begin "the full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel." The new Palestinian governing body will have 15 members, led by Ali Shaath, according to mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

A major hurdle is the demilitarisation of Hamas, which has not agreed to surrender its weapons. In October, Hamas agreed to hand over governance to the technocratic committee, but has said it will only disarm if a Palestinian state is established. Israeli withdrawals within Gaza are tied to this process, and talks with Hamas will now focus on disarmament.

Washington is working to bridge differences, though Israeli officials remain sceptical that Hamas will disarm and that the Palestinian people want peace.