Trump Forms Gaza Peace Board Amid Controversy and Criticism

In a bold move aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has established a Board of Peace, tasked with overseeing the reconstruction and transitional governance of the war-torn region. The seven-member panel, which he chairs, is predominantly composed of American leaders, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, World Bank President Ajay Banga, National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel, and businessman Marc Rowan. One of the most controversial appointments to the board is former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been heavily criticized in the Middle East for his role in the Iraq War and his previous tenure as Middle East envoy. Al Jazeera anticipates that Blair's involvement will garner extensive condemnation across the region. Trump has hailed the panel as "the greatest and most prestigious board ever established anywhere," signaling his confidence in their capabilities to forge a new path in Gaza. Kushner and Witkoff, noted for their roles in brokering the recent Gaza ceasefire in October 2025, are expected to be key players in the success of the board's initiatives. The Board of Peace will operate alongside a Palestinian committee responsible for managing the daily administration of Gaza, led by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority. Shaath is regarded as a technical expert in infrastructure development and representative of the two-state solution. Importantly, this Palestinian committee will reportedly have no ties to Hamas, the Islamic organization that currently governs the territory but is seen as an impediment to peace by the US administration. The establishment of the Board of Peace is the second phase of Trump's broader peace plan, which aims to bring a definitive end to the hostilities in the region. The plan explicitly calls for the disarmament of Hamas, which continues to resist such proposals, complicating the potential for a peaceful resolution. As the White House noted, further members of the board are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, leaving observers eager to see how these appointments will influence the board's effectiveness and the overall peace efforts in Gaza. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2