The Board of Peace, convened by US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, has announced a short-term plan allocating $245 million for the reconstruction of Gaza. This funding is set to be expended over the next six months on 66 different initiatives, including housing, diesel fuel supply, electricity generation, and waste management. However, the board estimates that a total of approximately $7.14 billion will be required over the next decade for the complete rebuilding and sustainable development of Gaza. While commitments have been made for $1.8 billion in aid, only $28 million has been disbursed so far, highlighting a significant funding shortfall acknowledged by the board.
Jared Kushner, a member of the Gaza Executive Board, admitted delays in the project due to various challenges, emphasizing, “Our primary goal today is to demonstrate our full commitment to this work.” US envoy Steve Witkoff, attending the meeting, claimed notable progress compared to last year, stating, “All hostages have returned home. Although the ceasefire remains incomplete, it is still in effect. Humanitarian efforts have achieved historic results.”
Key challenges facing the reconstruction plan include security concerns, bomb disposal, and destroying tunnels. In addition to securing funding, ensuring the safety of personnel working in Gaza, improving internal governance systems, and reaching agreements between Israeli and Palestinian authorities remain significant hurdles. At a separate press conference on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said that many countries have pledged financial support, and efforts are ongoing to involve additional nations. Michael Eisenberg, an Israeli-American member of the Board of Peace, clarified the preliminary phases before reconstruction can proceed: “Since Gaza remains a conflict zone, unexploded ordnance must first be cleared,” he explained. “Hundreds of kilometers of tunnels beneath Gaza must be demolished. Only then can Gazans begin rebuilding housing, sanitation, and other infrastructure.”
Former UK Prime Minister and board member Tony Blair commented during the meeting, “The responsibility on us is immense.” The ceasefire and political tension surfaced following the 20-point Gaza peace plan announced last September by US President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under which the Board of Peace was established. As part of the agreement, Hamas committed to releasing the remaining 48 hostages and transferring governance of Gaza to Palestinian technocrats. In July, Hamas agreed to disarm if Israel ceased all attacks and withdrew its forces; however, Netanyahu rejected this offer, stating that Israeli troops would remain in Gaza until Hamas was fully disarmed.
Despite the ceasefire brokered with US mediation, the Gaza Health Ministry reports over 1,000 Palestinian deaths due to Israeli attacks, including 300 children. According to the Israeli military, five soldiers and one contractor have died during the same period. In August, senior Board of Peace official Nickolay Mladenov warned that continued Israeli airstrikes and Hamas activities threatened to break the ceasefire, potentially marking an “irreversible point” for the region. Initially established to foster peace in Gaza, the Board of Peace has since expanded its mandate to address conflicts worldwide.
