WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that his controversial “Board of Peace” initiative has brokered a landmark agreement for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza, coupled with a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the devastated territory.
Trump hailed the accord as “historic,” outlining a sequenced implementation plan. As the disarmament process advances, Israeli troops, which currently control roughly two-thirds of Gaza, will pull back. The announcement marks the most concrete outcome yet for a body that has faced sharp criticism from rights advocates and skepticism from traditional Western allies.
What is the ‘Board of Peace’?
First floated by Trump last September as a mechanism to end Israel’s war in Gaza, the Board of Peace was later expanded in scope to address global conflicts, positioning Trump as its chair. The structure represents a direct challenge to the traditional conflict-resolution role of the United Nations.
Under its charter, member states serve three-year terms unless they secure permanent membership by contributing $1 billion each to fund the board’s activities. In January, the White House named Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to the initiative’s founding Executive Board.
A Divided Global Membership
The board’s official roster lists over two dozen founding nations, heavily leaning on U.S. allies in the Middle East. Members include Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar—the latter two having mediated the initial October ceasefire—alongside Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Other participating states range from Argentina and Hungary to Pakistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Conspicuously absent are Washington’s key Western partners and major Global South powers. Britain, the European Union, France, Germany, Norway, and Sweden have all declined to join. Brazil and Mexico cited the lack of Palestinian representation as a deal-breaker, while the Vatican insisted such efforts must be managed by the United Nations. China and Russia, both wielding Security Council vetoes, have also stayed out. Trump himself rescinded an invitation to Canada earlier this year following a speech by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Authority and Enforcement Questions
The U.N. Security Council lent a degree of legitimacy to the board in November by adopting a U.S.-drafted resolution. It recognized the body as a transitional administration tasked with framing and coordinating funding for Gaza’s. The resolution authorized a temporary International Stabilization Force for Gaza, limited the mandate through 2027, and required biannual progress reports to the Security Council. China and Russia abstained, arguing the U.N. was sidelined.
Yet beyond Gaza, the board’s legal authority and enforcement mechanisms remain nebulous. Its charter states it will conduct “peace-building functions in accordance with international law,” but grants Trump extensive executive power, including veto authority and the ability to remove members, subject to certain constraints.
Critics Cite Colonial Overtones and Rights Concerns
The initiative has drawn fire from rights experts who liken a sitting U.S. president overseeing a foreign territory’s governance to a colonial framework. The absence of a Palestinian representative on a body supervising a Palestinian territory has been a focal point of condemnation.
Critics also highlight Tony Blair’s inclusion given his role in the Iraq war and British imperial history in the Middle East. The membership of countries with widely condemned human rights records, including Belarus and El Salvador, has intensified scrutiny. Most pointedly, Israel’s presence on a board meant to govern post-war Gaza has provoked outrage, as the territory lies in ruins after a military assault that has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis, displaced the entire population, and led to genocide assessments by U.N. inquiries and rights experts. Israel maintains its actions are self-defense following the October 2023 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages.
Recent Moves and Reconstruction Costs
During the board’s first meeting in February, Trump announced that nations had pledged $7 billion to a Gaza reconstruction fund, contingent on Hamas disarming. Estimates for rebuilding the coastal enclave, reduced to rubble after more than 2.5 years of war, range up to $70 billion.
In April, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed he was cooperating with the board on Gaza. The same month, reports emerged that the board had held talks with Dubai-based multinational DP World about managing supply chains and infrastructure projects in the territory. However, Indonesia, a board member, put discussions on hold days after the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, before talks on the Gaza plan later resumed.
