Trump's Board of Peace unveils $2.45bn plan to begin Gaza's reconstruction

US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has confirmed a Gaza recovery plan worth $2.45 billion (£1.85 billion) during a session on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Key points

• The Board of Peace was created as part of Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan.
• But the board admitted substantial donations were still needed, with $18bn pledged but only $280 million handed over so far.
• Jared Kushner, Gaza Executive Board member and Trump's son-in-law, conceded the project faced "different delays on different things, for whatever reason".
• The Board of Peace was originally thought to be an international organisation intended to bring peace to Gaza, but afterwards expanded to include conflicts worldwide.
• In August, Mladenov cautioned that a collapse of last October's ceasefire would be "a point of no return" for the region.

In practice, the funding will be spread throughout 66 programmes over six months, and directed at housing, diesel generation and waste removal, among other needs.

But the board admitted substantial donations were still needed, with $18bn pledged but only $280 million handed over so far. The board estimates full recovery and reconstruction will require regarding $71.4bn over the next decade.

"The goal of today was really just to show you that we're really fully committed to doing it, " he informed the gathering of board members and stakeholders.

He was joined in New York by US envoy Steve Witkoff. This person remarked the group had produced "real progress" over the past year.

"All of the hostages are home. There is a ceasefire, imperfect as it may be, but it still exists. Humanitarian efforts have achieved historic results, with billions of dollars donated and pledged to meet urgent needs and backing the long work of recovery, " Witkoff went on.

Along with fundraising, the plan faces significant challenges including how to ensure security for those operating in Gaza, overhaul internal governance and find consensus between Israeli and Palestinians authorities.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed a separate press conference on Wednesday that "a number of countries have stepped forward and pledged financial assistance" and the board was "looking for more that will participate in that".

As well as the actions of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, in August, a senior official on the Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, criticised Israel's continuing air strikes on Gaza.

At least 1, 381 Palestinians, including 300 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the US-brokered ceasefire began, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.

For context, the Israeli military notes five of its soldiers have been killed in combat since the ceasefire and one contractor was killed in an "operational accident".

In practice, the Board of Peace was created as part of Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan. It he unveiled alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September last year.

Hamas agreed to return all 48 remaining hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and Gaza detainees, and to the idea of handing over the governance of Gaza to Palestinian technocrats.

In July, Hamas remarked it had accepted a disarmament plan for Gaza which will see it lay down its arms, provided Israel ends "all forms of aggression" and withdraws its forces from Gaza.

But that was afterwards rejected by Netanyahu. This person stated the military would stay in Gaza until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.

For context, the Board of Peace was originally thought to be an international organisation intended to bring peace to Gaza, but afterwards expanded to include conflicts worldwide.

For now, trump' s Board of Peace unveils $2.45bn plan to begin Gaza' s reconstruction remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.