Trump Taps Blair, Rubio for New Gaza Peace Board
Trump unveils a Gaza peace plan with 7 global heavyweights as a new governing body takes charge of reconstruction and stability in post-war Gaza.
The Trump administration has named US Senator Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair as two of the founding members of its "Board of Peace" for Gaza.
The White House said in a statement on Friday that Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner will also be on the "founding executive board."
Trump will serve as chairman of the board, which is part of his 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas.
It is expected to temporarily oversee the functioning of Gaza and manage its reconstruction.
The founding executive board also includes Mark Rowan, head of a private equity firm, World Bank chief Ajay Banga, and a US national security advisor, Robert Gabriel.
The White House statement said each member will have a portfolio that is "critical to the stabilization and long-term success of Gaza."
Trump said on Thursday that the board had been formed, describing it as "the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled."
The White House said more members of the board would be announced in the coming weeks.
Sir Tony was Prime Minister of Britain from 1997 to 2007 and led Britain into the Iraq War in 2003. After leaving office, he served as the Middle East envoy for the Quartet of international powers (the US, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations).
This comes after the announcement of a separate 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), tasked with managing the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza. Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank not under Israeli control, will head this new committee.
The statement also said that Nikolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian politician and former UN Middle East envoy, will serve as the board's representative in Gaza, working with the NCAG.
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Trump's plan states that an International Stabilization Force (ISF) will also be deployed in Gaza to train and support vetted Palestinian police forces, and the White House statement said that U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers will lead this force to "establish security, maintain peace, and create a lasting terrorism-free environment." The White House said a separate "Gaza Executive Board" is being created to help support governance and will include some of the names from the founding executive board as well as some additional appointees.
The U.S. peace plan went into effect in October and has since entered its second phase, but there is still a lack of clarity regarding the future of Gaza and its 2.1 million Palestinian inhabitants.
Under the first phase, Hamas and Israel agreed in October to a ceasefire, as well as a hostage-prisoner exchange, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, and an increase in aid.
Earlier this week, Witkoff said the second phase would involve the reconstruction and complete demilitarization of Gaza, including the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
"The U.S. expects Hamas to fully comply with its obligations," he warned, noting that this includes the return of the body of the last deceased Israeli hostage. "Failure to do so will have serious consequences."
However, the ceasefire is fragile, with both sides repeatedly accusing each other of violations. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, nearly 450 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire came into effect, while the Israeli military says three of its soldiers have been killed in attacks by Palestinian groups during the same period.
The humanitarian situation in the territory remains dire, according to the United Nations, which has emphasized the need for the unimpeded flow of essential supplies.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 others being taken hostage.
Since then, more than 71,260 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
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