The worldwide Board of Peace is set to meet Thursday in Washington for its inaugural meeting, bringing together representatives from nearly 50 nations with a focus on rebuilding Gaza.
President Donald Trump has announced a $5 billion pledge from partner nations for Gaza reconstruction. However, it is unclear how much each partner nation will be contributing, including America.
Trump has indicated that part of the reconstruction effort will include thousands of personnel who will be committed as part of an international stabilization force.
The president will be serving as the board’s chairman, which was announced last fall. Israel, along with several Arab nations, has agreed to join the board.
Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the death toll through Wednesday’s published reports are at more than 75,000. Since a ceasefire in October, the Gaza Ministry of Health – considered credible by the United Nations – says 600 Palestinians have been killed.
Daily strikes and fights, according to published reports, are still happening five months since the ceasefire announcement.
Last month, while visiting Davos, Switzerland, the president formally ratified the Charter of the Board of Peace.
The president touted the board, saying it would bring about lasting peace in the region, which has been plagued by multiple wars since the end of World War II.
“This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created,” Trump said in Davos. “Today, the first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your very eyes. Together, we are in a position to have any credible chance to end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed, and forge a beautiful, everlasting, and glorious peace for that region.”
The board has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council through a resolution as part of the president’s peace plan for Gaza.
Despite an ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, Russia has agreed to join the board.
The Vatican was invited to join the board, but declined. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a Wednesday briefing, said it was an “unfortunate decision.”