US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has announced a Gaza recovery plan worth $2.45 billion (£1.85 billion) during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The funding will be allocated across 66 programmes over six months, focusing on housing, diesel generation, and waste removal, among other needs. However, the board acknowledged that substantial donations are still required, with $18 billion pledged but only $280 million disbursed so far. The board estimates that full recovery and reconstruction will necessitate approximately $71.4 billion over the next decade.
Jared Kushner, a member of the Gaza Executive Board and Trump's son-in-law, stated that the project is facing "different delays on different things, for whatever reason." He emphasized the board's commitment to the project during the meeting with stakeholders.
US envoy Steve Witkoff remarked that the group has made "real progress" over the past year, noting that "all of the hostages are home" and that a ceasefire, although imperfect, is in place. He highlighted the historic results of humanitarian efforts, with billions of dollars pledged to meet urgent needs and support recovery efforts.
The plan encounters significant challenges, including ensuring security for those operating in Gaza, overhauling internal governance, and achieving consensus between Israeli and Palestinian officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in a separate press conference that several countries have pledged financial assistance and that the board is seeking additional participants.
Michael Eisenberg, an Israeli-American Board of Peace member, discussed the next steps, emphasizing the need to remove unexploded ordnance and destroy hundreds of kilometers of tunnels in Gaza before rebuilding can commence.
Former UK Prime Minister and board member Sir Tony Blair remarked on the significant responsibility facing the board. In August, Nickolay Mladenov, a senior official on the Board of Peace, criticized Israel's ongoing air strikes on Gaza and the actions of Hamas, warning that a collapse of the ceasefire could lead to dire consequences for the region.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, at least 1,381 Palestinians, including 300 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the US-brokered ceasefire began, while the Israeli military reported five soldiers killed in combat and one contractor killed in an operational accident.
The Board of Peace was established as part of Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan, which he unveiled with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September of the previous year. Hamas has agreed to return all 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and to the governance of Gaza being handed over to Palestinian technocrats. In July, Hamas accepted a disarmament plan for Gaza, contingent on Israel ceasing all forms of aggression and withdrawing its forces. However, Netanyahu later rejected this plan, stating that military presence would continue until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.