President Trump convened the first meeting of the Board of Peace on Thursday morning in Washington, D.C.
Trump created the group to oversee his ceasefire plan in Gaza and announced that member states have pledged $7 billion for reconstruction in Gaza. The U.S. also committed $10 billion to the Board of Peace.
Representatives from over 40 countries gathered at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which now bears Trump’s name. In his opening remarks, Trump credited Secretary of State Marco Rubio for taking over the building.
The Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, was officially established last month.
During the meeting, Trump addressed heads of state and diplomats from various countries, including Argentina, Hungary, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. Observers from France and the United Kingdom attended the meeting, expressing concerns about Russia’s potential involvement in the board.
Both Israel and Arab states, along with their representatives, are part of the board. However, there is no Palestinian representative present.
Trump praised the board as highly prestigious and hinted at a possible future role in overseeing the United Nations.
The meeting took place amidst a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as the next steps of the plan remain uncertain.
Trump acknowledged the ongoing attacks but deemed the war effectively over, highlighting his successful return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The next phase of Trump’s ceasefire plan may involve deploying international troops to Gaza for stabilization, as well as Hamas disarming to prevent a resumption of conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Hamas must give up all weapons within 60 days, or Israel would resume full-scale military operations.
Note: The story is still developing and will be updated.
