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Trump announces $7bn Gaza relief package at Board of Peace meeting
Nine countries have pledged over $7 billion (£5.2 billion) toward Gaza's reconstruction as part of a U.S.-led initiative, President Donald Trump revealed during the inaugural session of the Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday.
Ceasefire plan and disarmament conditions
The funding announcement coincides with the second phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and the rebuilding of Gaza. Trump expressed optimism, stating it "looks like" Hamas would comply with disarmament, though no concrete evidence of this has emerged. Meanwhile, Gazans report that Hamas is tightening its grip on the territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the board, insisted that Gaza's reconstruction would not begin until the territory is fully demilitarized. "Israel has agreed with our ally the U.S. that there will be no reconstruction of Gaza before the demilitarization of Gaza," he said.
Humanitarian crisis and economic devastation
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign has claimed over 72,000 lives, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. The enclave's infrastructure and economy lie in ruins, with the United Nations estimating the damage at $70 billion.
Funding and international participation
Trump announced contributions from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait, totaling more than $7 billion. He framed the spending as "an investment in stability," adding that the UN would provide an additional $2 billion for humanitarian aid, while FIFA would raise $75 million for soccer-related projects in Gaza.
Several Western nations, including the UK, Canada, France, and Germany, have declined to join the Board of Peace, citing concerns that it may undermine the UN. Trump sought to allay these fears, stating, "We're going to be working with the United Nations very closely; we're going to bring them back." He also declared Gaza "no longer a hotbed of radicalism and terror."
Challenges in establishing a new Palestinian police force
Nickolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian politician appointed as the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, revealed that recruitment for a new transitional Palestinian police force has begun, with 2,000 applications received within hours. However, both Israel and the U.S. have ruled out incorporating existing Hamas-controlled police or the Palestinian Authority's security forces from the West Bank without rigorous vetting.
Under the U.S. plan, an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) will collaborate with Israel, Egypt, and the newly trained Palestinian police to secure border areas and disarm non-state armed groups, including Hamas. Yet, there is little indication that such a force could effectively oversee Hamas's disarmament. Hamas has publicly linked any surrender of weapons to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
"Without rapid progress, Gaza will remain divided-one part under continued Israeli occupation and the other under Hamas control-further separating it from the West Bank and undermining the viability of a future independent state," Mladenov warned.
Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative for Gaza
Geopolitical tensions and skepticism
The Board of Peace's approach, which Trump described as "new thinking," has drawn criticism for its focus on real-estate development and investor funding. Israel has expressed reservations about the inclusion of Turkey and Qatar, countries it views as unsuitable for a prominent role in Gaza's future.
Despite the ambitious funding pledges and plans, the path to stability in Gaza remains fraught with challenges, including the lack of a credible security apparatus and the deep divisions between key stakeholders.
