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White House reveals members of new Gaza oversight body
The Trump administration has named the founding members of its "Board of Peace" for Gaza, a new executive body tasked with overseeing temporary governance and reconstruction in the war-torn territory. The board, chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, will direct a committee of technocrats responsible for day-to-day administration, though no women or Palestinians are included in the initial lineup.
Board composition and portfolios
The White House confirmed the seven-member executive board but did not specify which individuals will oversee particular priorities, such as security, infrastructure, or humanitarian aid. Additional members may be announced in the coming weeks, officials said.
Key figures on the board
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, the only non-U.S. citizen on the board, has long been linked to the initiative. Blair, who led the UK from 1997 to 2007 and supported the 2003 Iraq War, previously served as Middle East envoy for the Quartet (UN, EU, U.S., and Russia) from 2007 to 2015. He has called Trump's Gaza plan the "best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a vocal critic of earlier ceasefire proposals, has since endorsed the October Israel-Hamas truce as the "best" and "only" viable plan. Rubio also opposed recent Israeli parliamentary moves toward West Bank annexation.
Steve Witkoff, a real estate billionaire and close Trump ally, will join the board as U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff recently announced the second phase of Trump's Gaza strategy, which includes reconstruction and full demilitarization, including the disarmament of Hamas. He warned that Hamas would face "serious consequences" for noncompliance. Witkoff has also been involved in U.S.-led negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, including a December meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a key foreign policy adviser, has played a central role in mediating the Israel-Gaza and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in November to discuss sticking points in the peace deal. In a 2024 Harvard talk, he suggested Gaza's waterfront property could be "very valuable" if development focused on economic growth.
Other members
Marc Rowan, CEO of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, was previously considered for Treasury Secretary in Trump's second term. Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank and former Mastercard CEO, has advised U.S. leaders, including President Barack Obama. Robert Gabriel, a longtime Trump national security adviser, rounds out the board. Gabriel joined Trump's 2016 campaign and later worked as a special assistant to senior adviser Stephen Miller.
Ground-level governance
The White House also named Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian politician and former UN Middle East envoy, as the board's on-the-ground representative in Gaza. Mladenov will oversee the 15-member National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a Palestinian technocratic body led by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA). The NCAG will handle daily governance in post-war Gaza.
Controversy and next steps
The absence of women and Palestinians from the executive board has drawn criticism. A White House spokesperson said more members would be added soon but did not provide a timeline. The board's first meeting is expected within weeks, with a focus on finalizing portfolios and setting reconstruction priorities.
