Lacking money and support, Trump’s Board of Peace stalls in Gaza

Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, established to fund and oversee Gaza’s reconstruction after the war, has made little progress since its February meeting. Seven months after Trump announced the plan and four months after the board convened, no pledged funds—despite claims of $17 billion in commitments—have been collected or spent toward the estimated $70 billion needed. Disarmament talks with Hamas remain stalled, and the militant group continues to control Gaza’s 2 million residents, now confined to less than half of the already densely populated territory. Israel’s military has expanded control over 60 percent of Gaza, clearing rubble in uninhabited areas and planning a logistics hub for an International Stabilization Force (ISF). However, the board lacks funding, with Arab governments reluctant to contribute without a clear path to Palestinian statehood. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and lead negotiator, unveiled ambitious plans for high-tech industries and tourism in February, but these have been shelved in favor of temporary housing proposals that remain unrealized. Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire. The United Nations reported last month that one in five families survives on a single meal per day, with mothers skipping meals to feed their children. Israel’s near-daily strikes have killed over 900 Palestinians since the ceasefire, despite a claimed 99 percent reduction in monthly fatalities compared to pre-ceasefire levels. Gaza’s borders remain closed, restricting aid deliveries of food, fuel, water, and medical supplies. The Board of Peace claims progress, including the release of all Hamas-held hostages by mid-October and the appointment of a Palestinian technocrat committee as an interim government. Five countries have pledged troops for the ISF, and recruits are being vetted for a new Gaza police force. However, none of these elements have been deployed inside Gaza, and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) remains in Cairo, awaiting Israeli approval to enter IDF-controlled areas. Bradley Klapper, the board’s spokesperson, highlighted achievements such as reduced Israeli military attacks and the formation of a Palestinian interim government. Yet critics argue the board’s lack of funds and political will have left Gaza’s reconstruction and security plans stagnant, with no concrete steps toward stability or statehood.