Donald Trump Forms Groundbreaking Gaza Peace Board with Tony Blair and Marco Rubio

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The White House has announced names of the so-called “Board of Peace” that will, under United states President Donald Trump’s plan, supervise the temporary governance of Gaza, which continues to see deadly violence despite a fragile ceasefire that went into effect in October.

The names included US secretary of state Marco Rubio, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House said.

Trump will be chair of the board under the plan, as revealed late last year.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off in October on Trump’s plan, which says a Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by an international so-called “Board of Peace” that is meant to supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.

The White House recently announced the distinguished members who will form the “Board of Peace.” Among these influential figures are Marc Rowan, a prominent private equity executive and billionaire, as well as Ajay Banga, the current president of the World Bank. Additionally, Robert Gabriel, an adviser to former President Trump, is also part of this esteemed board. Notably, Nickolay Mladenov, who previously served as the UN envoy for the Middle East, has been appointed as the high representative for Gaza.

The White House statement did not lay out the responsibilities of each member.

Many rights experts and advocates have previously said that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembled a colonial structure, while Blair’s involvement was criticised last year due to his role in the Iraq war.

This development follows a pivotal UN Security Council resolution passed in mid-November. The resolution authorized the formation of the “Board of Peace” and encouraged countries to collaborate with this entity in establishing a peacekeeping force in Gaza. This strategic initiative aims to foster stability and peace in the region through a concerted international effort.

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of ceasefire violations in Gaza, where since the start of the truce in October, more than 440 Palestinians, including more than 100 children, and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed

Israel’s assault on Gaza since 2023 has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis that led to a famine declaration in some parts of the Palestinian enclave, and internally displaced Gaza’s population.

Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, which Israel has denied, saying it acted in self-defence after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in their October 2023 attack on Israel.