Board of Peace members have pledged more than US$5bil for Gaza, says Trump

Board of Peace members have pledged more than US$5bil for Gaza, says Trump

US President Donald Trump says member states have also contributed personnel to a UN stabilisation force and local police in the Palestinian enclave.

US President Donald Trump (centre) has signed the ‘Board of Peace’ charter during the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. (EPA Images pic)
WASHINGTON:
US President Donald Trump said the Board of Peace member states will announce at an upcoming meeting on Thursday 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.

The board’s creation was endorsed by a UN security council resolution as part of the Trump administration’s plan to end the war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas agreed to the plan last year, with a ceasefire officially taking effect in October, although both sides 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.

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.

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