US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that members of his newly created Board of Peace have pledged $5 billion to help rebuild the war-damaged Gaza Strip and have agreed to contribute thousands of personnel to an international stabilisation and police forces for the territory.
Trump said the financial and security commitments will be formally disclosed when the board convenes for its first meeting in Washington on Thursday, Associated Press reported.
“The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History, and it is my honour to serve as its Chairman,” Trump said in a social media posting announcing the pledges.
He did not identify which member states would provide the reconstruction funds or deploy personnel for the proposed force.
Indonesia Signals Readiness To Deploy Troops
Indonesia’s military indicated Sunday that up to 8,000 troops could be ready by the end of June for possible deployment to Gaza under a humanitarian and peacekeeping mandate. The announcement represents the first clear commitment of manpower to the initiative.
It remains uncertain how many of the board’s more than 20 members will attend Thursday’s session. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Trump at the White House last week, is not expected to participate.
Reconstruction of Gaza is expected to require vast resources. Estimates compiled by the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union place the cost of rebuilding at approximately $70 billion. After more than two years of Israeli bombardment, much of the enclave has sustained extensive damage.
A US-brokered ceasefire reached on Oct. 10 aimed to halt the more than two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. Although large-scale fighting has subsided, Israeli forces have continued airstrikes and have frequently opened fire near areas under military control.
Under the ceasefire terms, an armed international stabilisation force would be tasked with maintaining security and overseeing the disarmament of Hamas, a key condition set by Israel. So far, few governments have publicly committed to joining the proposed force.
Expanded Role Beyond Gaza
The Board of Peace was initially perceived as a mechanism focused on resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, it has since taken shape with a broader stated ambition of addressing global crises, reflecting Trump’s wider effort to reshape elements of the post-World War II international framework.
Several US allies in Europe and elsewhere have declined to participate, citing concerns that the initiative could function as an alternative to the UN Security Council.
Trump confirmed that the board’s inaugural meeting will take place at the United States Institute of Peace, which the State Department said in December would continue under the name Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace.
The building has been the subject of ongoing litigation filed by former staff and executives after the administration took control of the nonprofit institute last year and dismissed most of its workforce.
