International Funding for Gaza Peace Commission
Countries looking to secure permanent positions on President Trump’s new Gaza “peace commission” are expected to contribute $1 billion for reconstruction efforts, according to the White House. However, temporary members of the panel won’t have any minimum contribution requirements.
The draft Charter, which has been shared with multiple nations, indicates that each Member State will hold office for three years, with the option for renewal by the President. It was initially reported by Bloomberg.
Interestingly, those contributing over $1 billion within the first year of the Charter’s enactment will not be bound by the three-year membership restriction.
President Trump will chair the commission and will be responsible for selecting the participating countries.
The White House Rapid Response Team confirmed the $1 billion funding request while emphasizing that only countries committed to peace, security, and prosperity will gain permanent membership on the council.
Funds raised from this fee are intended to support the peace committee in rebuilding the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office expressed strong discontent, stating, “The US government’s announcement regarding the Gaza Executive Committee’s composition is not aligned with Israel’s policy.” Israel appears to be particularly unhappy about the inclusion of countries like Turkey and Qatar in the peace committee.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff recently announced that the initiative is progressing to the second phase of a three-phase Gaza peace plan. The first phase involved Hamas freeing all living hostages and Israel scaling back its military presence in populated areas.
The second phase, perceived as more challenging, aims for Hamas to disarm and hand over control of Gaza to a new technocratic government monitored by international peacekeepers and the peace committee. However, Hamas has stated it won’t disarm.
If Hamas does concede control, Dr. Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority official, is set to lead the proposed technocratic government in Gaza. The White House has described him as a “widely respected technocratic leader” who will be responsible for restoring essential public services and stabilizing daily life in the region.
Earlier, a White House official pointed out that the underlying goal is to establish an alternative to Hamas that embraces peace, despite Hamas’s ongoing resistance to disarmament.
