US announces Palestinian technocratic rule for Gaza under 'Board of Peace' Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 01/16/2026 - 06:45 US President Donald Trump also pledges Hamas demilitarisation deal with support from Egypt, Turkey and Qatar Palestinians stand amid the rubble inside a war-damaged building, parts of which collapsed on a windy winter day in Gaza City on 13 January (AFP/Omar al-Qatta) Off US President Donald Trump announced the formation of a "Board of Peace" for Gaza on Thursday , adding that a "comprehensive demilitarisation agreement" with Hamas will soon be secured with the support of Egyp t, Turkey and Qatar . Middle East Eye had earlier revealed details of the new committee, which will consist of 15 Palestinians , led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian deputy minister for planning. Trump, however, withheld details of the committee's make-up. "The members of the board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled at any time, any place," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "As chairman of the Board of Peace, I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, supported by the Board's High Representative, to govern Gaza during its transition," he said. "These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!" Trump added. On Wednesday, US envoy Steve Witkoff said that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza had begun as part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war. Witkoff said that the second phase would establish a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration. An initial ceasefire aimed at ending the genocide in Gaza came into effect in October but progress to the second phase of the deal had been complicated by continued Israeli attacks on the besieged territory. Slow genocide: Death and displacement continue in Gaza months into ceasefire Read More » Israel killed more than 71,400 Palestinians and wounded at least 171,000 others, according to the Palestinian health ministry during the course of its campagin. Since October, nearly 450 Palestinians have been killed, border crossings have The move to establish a technocratic authority has been welcomed by Spain, which described it as a "positive step" toward the "restoration of Palestinian unity". In a statement, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said the committee could "contribute to stability" in Gaza and help alleviate the "humanitarian catastrophe" by facilitating an increase in the entry of aid into the besieged enclave. Spain also reiterated its commitment to international efforts aimed at achieving peace in Gaza and expressed appreciation for the role of mediators Qatar, Turkey and Egypt in advancing the implementation of the peace plan. Transition plan The committee will be overseen by Bulgarian former UN Middle East peace coordinator Nickolay Mladenov. He is reportedly set to serve as the high representative of a Donald Trump-led "Board of Peace" tasked with overseeing the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. According to a list seen by Middle East Eye, others on the committee include Omar Shamali, overseeing Communications; Abdul Karim Ashour, overseeing Agriculture; Aed Yaghi, responsible for Health, and Aed Abu Ramadan, for Industry and Economy. Gaza 'dying slowly' amid collapsing buildings and severe cold Read More » Jabr al-Daour will oversee Education; Bashir Al-Rayes will deal with Finance; Ali Barhoum will oversee Water and Municipalities; Hanaa Tarzi will be at Relief and Solidarity, and Adnan Salem Abu Warda will oversee the Judiciary. A senior Hamas source said the group has no objection to the names proposed for the committee. Egypt said earlier on Wednesday that the majority of Palestinian factions had reached an agreement to support a technocratic committee to govern Gaza, opening the path for the second phase. UN under-secretary-general,  Jorge Moreira da Silva, on Thursday said that there is more than 66 million tons of rubble in the enclave due to Israeli destruction. "Gaza has more than 60 million tonnes of rubble: the capacity of nearly 3,000 container ships," he said, adding that "It is likely to take over seven years to clear this rubble." The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) executive director said that people in Gaza "are exhausted, traumatised, and overwhelmed," and that the harsh winter conditions and the heavy rains this week are "doubling people’s misery and desperation". Describing the level of destruction as "overwhelming," he said that "for children, daily life is defined by loss and trauma." As of last March, more than 39,000 children in Gaza were estimated to have lost one or both parents in Israel ’s ongoing aggression, including 17,000 who were fully orphaned, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0