The White House has appointed a controversial 'Board of Peace' to oversee Gaza's temporary governance under Donald Trump's plan, sparking concerns of a colonial-like structure. The board includes high-profile members such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump himself chairs the board, as revealed in his plan late last year. The committee's leader, Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official, aims to swiftly address immediate needs, particularly shelter, with a three-year reconstruction and recovery plan. The board also features private equity executive Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel, a Trump advisor. The former UN Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, is designated as the high representative for Gaza. However, the responsibilities of each member remain unclear. Rights experts have criticized the board's structure, drawing parallels to colonial governance. Major General Jasper Jeffers, a former US special operations commander, is appointed as the commander of the International Stabilization Force, as authorized by a UN Security Council resolution in November. The appointment comes amidst ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas, with both sides accusing each other of violations in Gaza. Since the truce in October, over 440 Palestinians, including numerous children, and three Israeli soldiers have been killed, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict. Israel's assault on Gaza since late 2023 has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, a hunger crisis, and the internal displacement of the entire Gaza population. Rights experts, scholars, and a UN inquiry have labeled this as potential genocide. Israel, however, claims self-defense, citing the October 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages.
