Trump announces formation of Gaza 'board of peace'
US President Trump says members of body will be announced "shortly."
US President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a Gaza "board of peace," a key phase two element of a US-backed plan to end Israel’s genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.
"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed," 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," Trump said.
The board's creation comes shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, charged with managing the day-to-day governance of post-genocide Gaza.
The committee will work under the supervision of the board of peace, which 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," Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, said in a statement on Thursday.
Israel’s truce violations
The US-backed Gaza peace plan first came into force on October 10, facilitating the return of all the captives held by Hamas and an end to the genocide in the besieged territory. But since then Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza, breaching agreed truce.
For Palestinians, the central issue remains Israel's full military withdrawal from Gaza — a step included in the plan's framework but for which no detailed timetable has been announced.
Israeli forces have killed more than 71,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded over 171,300. Studies and analysts suggest the actual death toll in the enclave, which is partially occupied by Israel, could be around 200,000.
Despite a ceasefire that began on October 10, Israel has continued to attack Gaza and breach the agreed truce, killing 451 Palestinians and wounding more than 1,200.