Trump announces ‘board of peace’ formed for Gaza
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The second phase of the US-backed Gaza peace plan is now under way, though clouded by unresolved issues.
PHOTO: EPA
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Jan 15 announced the formation of a Gaza “board of peace”, a key phase two element of a US-backed plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory.
“It is my Great Honour to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed,” Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that the members of the body will be announced “shortly.”
“I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place,” Mr Trump said.
The board’s creation comes shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee
The committee will work under the supervision of the board of peace, which Mr Trump is expected to chair.
The plan also calls for the deployment of an International Stabilisation Force to help secure Gaza and train vetted Palestinian police units.
“The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee,” Mr Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, said in a statement on Jan 15.
The US-backed Gaza peace plan
The plan’s second phase is now under way, though clouded by unresolved issues.
Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry has said Israeli forces have killed 451 people since the ceasefire ostensibly took effect.
For Palestinians, the central issue remains Israel’s full military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip – a step included in the plan’s framework but for which no detailed timetable has been announced.
Hamas, meanwhile, has refused to publicly commit to a full disarmament, a non-negotiable demand from Israel.
In a Truth Social post on Jan 14, Mr Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington expects Hamas to “comply fully with its obligations”.
Hamas is preparing to hold internal elections to rebuild its leadership, which has been decimated by Israeli killings during the war in Gaza.
That vote is expected “in the first months of 2026”, a Hamas leader told AFP on Jan 12.
Mr Trump shared Mr Witkoff’s post on Jan 15, adding “These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!” in reference to the transitional government he selects.
“With the support of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, we will secure a COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarisation Agreement with Hamas, including the surrender of ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel,” Mr Trump said. AFP
