The US will host the first leaders meeting of President Trump’s “Board of Peace” for Gaza on February 19. The meeting will also serve as a fundraising conference for Gaza reconstruction. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump a day earlier at the White House.
The meeting is planned at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, but details could still change. Officials and diplomats from four board member countries are expected to attend. The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment.
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Trump launched the board in late January to resolve global conflicts, raising concern among experts about undermining the United Nations. Some Middle Eastern allies joined, while many Western countries have stayed away. The board was authorised under a UN Security Council resolution to establish a Gaza stabilisation force.
Under Trump’s plan, the board would supervise temporary governance in Gaza and later expand to global conflict oversight. Rights experts have criticised the board for excluding Palestinians. They also say the plan resembles a colonial structure with unilateral US control.
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Since the fragile Gaza ceasefire began in October, over 550 Palestinians have been killed. Israel’s assaults since late 2023 have caused over 71,000 deaths, hunger crises, and mass displacement. Human rights groups and UN inquiries warn the situation amounts to genocide.