Amid the fanfare of Donald Trump's 'board of peace' launch in Davos, his administration laid out specific plans for Gaza's short- and long-term future, aiming for lasting peace. The blueprint, presented on Thursday, envisages a unified Palestinian-run Gaza, rebuffing Israeli extremists who seek deportation of Gaza's population and Israeli settlements.
The plan's success hinges on Trump's determination to implement it despite Israeli objections, and on creating a mechanism to disarm Hamas. A slideshow by Jared Kushner depicted a futuristic Gaza with gleaming towers, industrial parks, and an airport, including a buffer zone along the Israeli border, ignoring Palestinian property rights but moving away from partition.
Short-term goals for the next 100 days include restoring water, sewage, electricity, hospitals, and bakeries, and increasing goods flow. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is due to open next week for the first time since Israeli troops seized it in May 2024. Kushner committed the US to these goals, focusing on humanitarian aid and shelter.
The board of peace will be represented in Gaza by veteran UN diplomat Nickolay Mladenov. Implementation largely falls on the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a panel of Palestinian technocrats. NCAG chair Ali Shaath addressed world leaders and Gaza's people, vowing to rebuild Gaza into a centre for freedom and peace under 'one authority, one law, one weapon'.
US and Israeli officials agree no further Israeli withdrawals until Hamas disarms. Hamas has reportedly agreed to hand over heavy weapons to a Palestinian administration and accept the NCAG. To test this, Shaath and the NCAG must enter Gaza with a Palestinian police force trained in Jordan and Egypt. The plan notably omits the international stabilisation force, which faced challenges in confronting Hamas over weaponry.
