Posted on 02/19/26
| News Source: FOX45
President Donald Trump announced during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace on Thursday that nine members agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package just days after $5 billion was pledged for reconstruction.
The president identified the countries contributing as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait. However, it is only a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory devastated during the two-year war between Israel and Hamas.
"Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region),” Trump said.
Trump added the U.S. was pledging $10 billion for the Board of Peace, but did not specify what it would be used for.U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz detailed the vast amount of humanitarian aid that has entered Gaza since the ceasefire began in October.
"Humanitarian aid has absolutely surged since the Gaza war ended. Aid is up, 4,200 aid trucks have entered Gaza each week for 13 consecutive weeks — the longest stretch of high volume assistance to Gaza in years," Waltz explained to the board. "Diversion is down significantly prior to the ceasefire."
Members gathered ahead of the meeting for a family photo with Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and leaders from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Qatar, among others.
It's a tremendous honor to welcome you all to the United States Institute of Peace for the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace," Trump said in his opening statement. "I believe it's the most consequential board. There's never been anything close because these are the greatest world leaders.
More than 40 countries and the European Union confirmed they would send officials to the gathering, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly. Germany, Italy, Norway and Switzerland are among more than a dozen countries that have not formally joined the board but are expected to attend as observers, the official said.
Pope Leo was invited to attend but declined, citing concerns that the board could undermine the United Nations’ role in managing international crises.
“One concern is that, at the international level, it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said, according to Politico.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back Wednesday, calling the board "a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world."
During the Board of Peace meeting, Trump said the U.S. is going "to be working with the United Nations very close."
“Someday I won’t be here. The United Nations will be, I think, is going to be much stronger,” he said. “The Board of Peace is gonna almost be looking over the United Nations, and making sure it runs properly.”
The board was inaugurated in January at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland as part of Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the war in Gaza.
The Gaza ceasefire remains in place but is highly fragile, with both sides frequently accusing the other of violating the truce.
Israel recovered the remains of the final hostage earlier this year, and all 255 hostages have now been returned. Israeli officials say 168 were returned alive and 87 were confirmed dead.
Phase II of the peace plan includes reopening the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, Hamas disarmament and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, which currently occupy more than half of Gaza.
The Rafah crossing reopened earlier this month, though travel has been limited and no goods have passed through.