White House Announces Members of Gaza Peace Board, Trump to Chair Council

The White House has announced the members of a proposed “Board of Peace” tasked with overseeing the activities of an interim administration in the Gaza Strip. Former US President Donald Trump will serve as chair of the council.

According to the announcement, the board’s members include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Other members named to the council are billionaire investor Mark Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Trump adviser Robert Gabriel.

In addition, former United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nikolay Mladenov will serve as the senior representative in Gaza.

Trump first revealed plans for the Gaza Peace Board late last year. In October, Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas signed on to the plan. Under the proposal, Gaza would be administered by a Palestinian technocratic authority, with the Board of Peace responsible for supervising the interim administration.

However, despite the announcement of the council’s membership, Palestinians have expressed skepticism about the initiative’s effectiveness, as Israeli military operations in Gaza continue unabated. Critics argue that ongoing violence on the ground undermines the credibility and viability of any new political or administrative framework for the territory.