President Trump has launched his Board of Peace, a multinational effort to oversee maintenance of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, reconstruction of Gaza after the war started by Hamas’ massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023, and restoration of order in the coastal enclave. But the effort unveiled was much broader than expected. Here’s what we know so far about the initiative and the international response. 

What Is the Board of Peace — and How Has Its Mission Changed?

President Trump first announced the Board of Peace in late September 2025 as part of the second phase of a 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and the Hamas terror group in Gaza. It was initially presented as a mechanism to help transition from active fighting to a post-war phase, including supporting security arrangements, reconstruction, and long-term governance in Gaza once Hamas is no longer in control.

AJC welcomed the U.S.-brokered agreement between Israel and Hamas, and the fulfillment of the 20-point plan, an end to the war and Hamas’ rule in Gaza, and a better future for Israelis and Palestinians. 

The original concept was closely tied to the Gaza war and to Israel’s security concerns following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack. Supporters described the Board as a way to coordinate international involvement in rebuilding Gaza, while preventing Hamas or other terrorist organizations from regaining power, and to ensure that any post-war framework would prioritize Israel’s right to defend itself and the demilitarization of the territory.

Since then, the Board’s original scope appears to have widened.

A draft charter circulated to potential member states described it as an international organization designed to “secure enduring peace in all areas threatened by conflict.” Notably, the document does not mention Gaza or Israel. Instead, it frames the Board as a standing global body capable of operating across multiple conflict zones and coordinating peace and stabilization efforts worldwide.

The charter also introduced a new structural element: member nations seeking permanent status would be required to make a financial commitment of $1 billion. Countries could still participate without paying the full amount, but only permanent members would hold guaranteed long-term seats and influence.

What began as a Gaza-focused initiative tied to ending the Israel-Hamas war is now being described as a broader international peace body, raising questions about its ultimate mission and how central the conflict involving Israel will remain going forward.

Who Leads the Board of Peace and Who Are Its Members?

President Trump would serve as the inaugural chairman of the Board of Peace, with no prescribed term limit. The rest of the members would include political appointees, business leaders, and government leaders from up to 50 countries invited to participate.

Of the 50 countries invited, more than 25 countries have agreed to join so far, including Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Notably, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has confirmed participation.

Several countries have declined or paused their participation, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, while Canada’s invitation was rescinded. Others, including China, Croatia, Cyprus, India, the European Union, Russia, and Singapore have not reportedly responded to the invitation. 

The Board’s leadership also includes a mix of U.S. political figures and international business and diplomatic leaders, who will serve on the founding executive council to guide its mission. This composition reflects a combination of Trump’s direct influence, political appointees, and global partners, while highlighting which countries are actively participating and which remain cautious or undecided. 

How Will the Board Handle Gaza’s Governance, Israel’s Security, and Humanitarian Aid?Gaza’s governance: The White House has announced the establishment of three bodies that will be either directly or indirectly involved in governing Gaza.Gaza Executive Board: The Gaza Executive Board is the operational arm of the Board of Peace and will oversee Gaza’s postwar administration. Its members include senior officials from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, and the United States — including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner — as well as former UK prime minister Tony Blair, several international business leaders, and Israeli-Cypriot entrepreneur Yakir Gabay; former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov will serve as high representative for Gaza and as the board’s on-the-ground liaison to the new Palestinian technocratic government.Founding Executive Board: Created with many of the same members of the Gaza Executive Board, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and World Bank president Ajay Banga, among others, the committee will reportedly not be directly involved in Gaza decision-making and instead will focus on broader agendas for the Board of Peace.National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG): Under the 20-point peace plan, Gaza’s daily governance will fall under a transitional, technocratic Palestinian committee, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), composed of Gazans and international experts, supervised by the Gaza Executive Board. This committee is not tied to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. In fact, according to the 20-point framework that spells out the board’s mission, Hamas will have nothing to do with Gaza’s governance going forward.Israel’s security: The Gaza Executive Board is tasked with overseeing the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to support disarmament and law enforcement in Gaza, with U.S. Central Command Special Operations Commander Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers set to lead the force. The ISF would help dismantle tunnels, weapons caches, and other terrorist infrastructure, while Israel retains control of broader security arrangements and a newly trained Palestinian police force maintains internal order in coordination with Israel and Egypt—though these details do not appear in the Board of Peace charter. Under President Trump’s 20-point plan, Hamas is required to disarm, release hostages, and halt military activity; the ISF would support this process but not directly seize weapons, and Hamas has so far rejected disarmament and continues to plan attacks.Access to humanitarian relief: The 20-point plan prioritized opening and sustaining humanitarian aid flows into Gaza to ensure access for food, medicine, water, and other essentials. It included plans to reopen key crossings between Gaza and Egypt, such as Rafah, as well as corridors for the movement of supplies once those crossings are operational. However, the charter for the Board of Peace made no mention of Gaza or humanitarian aid. Who is on the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and What is its Role? 

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, is a 15-member technocratic body hand-picked to temporarily govern the Gaza Strip during the transition from conflict to reconstruction. Selection was based on expertise rather than political affiliation, with greater emphasis on practical skills than on political ideology. 

The NCAG will coordinate reconstruction of infrastructure like water, electricity, health care, and education destroyed in the war and work to restore basic governance and public order. It held its inaugural meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on January 15.

The committee is led by Dr. Ali Sha’aath, a civil engineer and former Palestinian Authority deputy minister who has experience in planning and transportation. Other commissioners include: 

Abdel Karim Ashour, Commissioner for AgricultureOmar Shammali, Commissioner for Communications and Digital ServicesAed Abu Ramadan, Commissioner for Economy, Industry, and Trade; the former Director of the Palestinian Islamic Bank in GazaDr. Jabr Al-Daour, Commissioner for Education; President of the University of Palestine in Gaza CityDr. Bashir Al-Rayyes, Commissioner for FinanceDr. Aed Yaghi, Commissioner for Health; Director of the Palestinian Medical Relief SocietySami Nasman, Commissioner for Interior and Internal Security; senior officer in the Egyptian Armed ForcesAdnan Abu Warda, Commissioner for Justice; a former judge on the Palestinian Authority’s Supreme Constitutional CourtOsama Al-Saadawi, Commissioner for Lands and Housing; the former general manager of the Palestinian Housing Council in the Gaza StripHanaa Tarzi, Commissioner for Social Security; a Palestinian lawyer and social welfare expertDr. Ali Barhoum, Commissioner for Water, Utilities, and Local AuthoritiesIs the Board at Odds With the United Nations?

The draft charter suggests that President Trump believes the United Nations has often fallen short in maintaining global peace, stating that durable peace “requires pragmatic judgment, common-sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed.” Some observers, noting that the Board of Peace charter makes no mention of Gaza, Israel, Hamas, or Palestinians, worry the new entity could extend its Gaza mandate to other conflicts, potentially undermining the UN’s diplomatic role.