President Donald Trump has announced that members of his newly formed “Peace Council” have committed $5 billion to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, a territory devastated by over two years of war between Israel and Hamas. The official announcement is scheduled for Thursday, February 19th, in Washington.
A New International Instrument
Trump, who has declared himself the council’s president, made the announcement on social media, stating, “The Peace Council will prove it is the most important international body in History.” The council, created at his initiative, is set to hold its inaugural meeting this week. Beyond funding, Trump claims several nations are prepared to contribute thousands of personnel for a future international stabilization force. This force would be tasked with securing Gaza and overseeing the disarmament of Hamas, as outlined in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement from October.
Seeking Commitments and Facing Skepticism
To date, few capitals have publicly committed. However, according to AP news, Indonesia has informed the White House it could ready up to 8,000 soldiers by the end of June 2026 for a humanitarian and peacekeeping mission. The financial challenge remains immense. Joint estimates from the UN, the World Bank, and the European Union place the cost of rebuilding Gaza at nearly $70 billion.
Initially presented as a tool to end the Gaza war, the Peace Council now appears to embody a broader ambition. The Trump administration aims to shape it into a body capable of intervening in other international crises. This move has raised concerns among several European allies, who declined invitations to join, suspecting an American attempt to compete with or marginalize the United Nations Security Council.
