Washington D.C. – US President Donald Trump is seeking to inaugurate the ‘Board of Peace’, a new international institution intended to focus on progress in Gaza, but with ambitions that extend far beyond the region. The launch comes amid skepticism from key allies and questions about the board’s structure and long-term viability.
Around two dozen world leaders and senior officials have travelled to Washington for the inaugural meeting, though the guest list is notably skewed towards nations with authoritarian leanings, while many traditional US allies in Europe are absent. The Board of Peace emerged following a ceasefire negotiated by the Trump administration, alongside Qatar and Egypt, in October, bringing an end to two years of conflict in Gaza.
The United States has stated that the current phase of the plan focuses on disarming Hamas, the Palestinian militant group whose attack on Israel on , triggered a large-scale Israeli offensive. Since the truce began, Gaza’s health ministry, operating under Hamas authorities, reports at least 601 people have been killed by Israeli forces.
During the meeting, President Trump is expected to announce pledges exceeding $5 billion for the reconstruction of Gaza, where widespread destruction has left the vast majority of buildings in ruins. He has also reportedly suggested the possibility of developing resorts in the territory. The meeting will also address the establishment of an International Stabilisation Force to ensure security in Gaza.
Indonesia has offered to contribute up to 8,000 troops to the force, should it be confirmed. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will attend the inaugural meeting, having previously participated in a launch event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month.
US officials, including Steve Witkoff, a close friend and negotiator for Trump, maintain that substantial progress is being made and that Hamas is facing increasing pressure to relinquish its weapons. Israel has proposed sweeping restrictions, including the confiscation of personal rifles held by Hamas members. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that the primary weapon of concern is the AK-47, and its removal is a key demand.
Jeremy Issacharoff, a strategic affairs expert at Israel’s Reichman University, acknowledged that disarming Hamas would be a complex undertaking, but emphasized that a credible pathway towards disarmament is crucial for Israel to assess the viability of the initiative.
A technocratic committee, headed by engineer and former official Ali Shaath, was formed last month to manage the day-to-day governance of Gaza. However, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem has called on the Board of Peace to compel Israel to “stop its violations in Gaza” and lift the long-standing blockade of the territory.
The Board of Peace is headquartered in the building formerly occupied by the US Institute of Peace. Staff at the longstanding conflict resolution institution were reportedly dismissed by President Trump, whose name now adorns the entrance.
The structure of the Board of Peace grants President Trump veto power and allows him to remain its head even after leaving office. Countries seeking permanent membership, rather than a two-year term, will be required to contribute $1 billion. This financial requirement has drawn criticism, with some observers characterizing the board as a “pay-to-play club.”
While US officials state that the initial focus is on Gaza, they have also described the Board of Peace in broader terms, suggesting its potential application to other global hotspots. However, this ambition is met with skepticism, with Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, describing the effort as “a confused mix of ambition and narcissism, unleavened by any effort at intellectual coherence.”
The initiative comes as President Trump distances himself from the United Nations, reducing funding and withdrawing the United States from key UN bodies. The inaugural meeting will bring together ideological allies of Trump, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Argentinian President Javier Milei.
Other attendees include leaders seeking to strengthen ties with the US, such as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has reportedly sought Trump’s support in his country’s conflict with India. However, several major US allies are not participating, including France and Canada. Japan, a traditionally strong US ally, has yet to decide whether to join the board and will send an envoy focused on Gaza.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declined an invitation, arguing that the board should be limited to Gaza and include representation from Palestine. Last month, Lula described Trump’s board as “a new UN where only he is the owner.”
The Board of Peace was proposed in and formally established on the sidelines of the 56th World Economic Forum in . United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 welcomed the board’s potential to aid reconstruction efforts in Gaza, via the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and authorized the deployment of a temporary peacekeeping force. As of , 25 of the 62 invited countries have signed the board’s charter, but it has yet to gain support within the European Union.
