Trump's Board of Peace unveils $2.45bn plan to begin Gaza's reconstruction
Donald Trump's Board of Peace has presented a $2.45bn Gaza recovery plan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, while acknowledging that most of the pledged funding has not yet materialised. Only $280m of the $18bn pledged has been delivered so far.
At a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Donald Trump's Board of Peace unveiled a $2.45bn plan for Gaza's recovery. The funds will be distributed across 66 programmes over six months, covering housing, diesel generation, waste removal and other pressing needs.
Board members acknowledged that far more money is still required. Of the $18bn pledged by donors, only $280m has actually been handed over so far. The board estimates that full recovery and reconstruction will cost around $71.4bn over the coming decade.
Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a member of the Gaza Executive Board, admitted the project has faced delays for various reasons, but said the aim of the meeting was to demonstrate full commitment to the effort. He was joined by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who said the group had made real progress over the past year, pointing to the return of all hostages, the continuation of an imperfect but still-standing ceasefire, and billions of dollars donated or pledged for humanitarian and recovery efforts.
Beyond fundraising, the plan faces further obstacles, including providing security for those working in Gaza, reforming internal governance, and building consensus between Israeli and Palestinian officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said several countries had already pledged financial assistance, with the board seeking further participants.
Board member Michael Eisenberg said the next steps involve clearing unexploded ordnance and destroying hundreds of kilometres of tunnels beneath Gaza before rebuilding of housing and sanitation can proceed.
In August, senior board official Nickolay Mladenov criticised both continuing Israeli air strikes on Gaza and actions by Hamas, warning that a collapse of last October's ceasefire would mark a point of no return for the region. Since the ceasefire began, at least 1,381 Palestinians, including 300 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry, while Israel's military reports five soldiers killed in combat and one contractor killed in an operational accident.
