US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his support for a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government to oversee Gaza during a transitional period, as Washington moves into the second phase of a ceasefire brokered in October.
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Trump, speaking on social media, said the body — officially called the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza — will be supported by an international “Board of Peace,” which he will chair. The Board’s membership will be announced shortly. He described the initiative as aimed at securing a peaceful transition in Gaza and overseeing governance reforms.
The technocratic panel will have 15 members and be led by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister in the Western-backed Palestinian Authority responsible for developing industrial zones. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey are tasked with supporting the initiative and ensuring compliance with what Trump called a “comprehensive demilitarisation agreement” with Hamas.
Israel and Hamas, the two primary parties in Gaza, have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which has already seen over 440 Palestinians — including more than 100 children — and three Israeli soldiers killed since October. Challenges for the new body include disarming Hamas, reopening Gaza’s border crossings, retrieving the remains of a remaining Israeli hostage, and deploying an international peacekeeping force.
Critics of the plan have questioned the structure of the Board of Peace, noting that US oversight, with Trump as chair, could resemble a colonial-style arrangement. Rights groups have also continued to raise alarms over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, which has been worsened by years of conflict, internal displacement, and widespread hunger.
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The transitional panel represents a key step in the fragile process of stabilising Gaza and moving towards long-term governance and security solutions, although its effectiveness will depend on cooperation from Israel, Hamas, and the international community.