Board of Peace members pledge more than US$5 billion for Gaza, Trump says

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said the Board of Peace member states will announce at an upcoming meeting on Thursday (Feb 19) a pledge of more than US$5 billion for reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump wrote that member states have also committed thousands of personnel toward a UN-authorised stabilisation force and local police in the Palestinian enclave.

The US president said Thursday's gathering, the first official meeting of the group, will take place at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace, which the State Department recently renamed after the president. Delegations from more than 20 countries, including heads of state, are expected to attend.

While regional Middle East powers, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel, as well as emerging nations such as Indonesia, have joined the board, global powers and traditional Western US allies have been more cautious.

PERMANENT MEMBERS PAY US$1 BILLION

Its permanent members must pay US$1 billion to join, leading to criticism that the board could become a "pay-to-play" version of the UN Security Council.

Trump launched his "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

Some countries, including Croatia, France, Italy, New Zealand and Norway, have declined to join.

The board's creation was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution as part of the Trump administration's plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The two sides agreed to the plan last year with a ceasefire officially taking effect in October, although both have accused each other repeatedly of violating the ceasefire.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops in the territory since the ceasefire began. Israel has said four of its soldiers have been killed by Palestinian militants in the same period.