Marco Rubio, Tony Blair, Jared Kushner named to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza
US President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled the members of a “Board of Peace" tasked with overseeing the temporary governance of post-war Gaza. Trump will chair the board himself and will be joined by former British prime minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Issued on: 17/01/2026
By: FRANCE 24
Video by: FRANCE 24
US President Donald Trump and British former prime minister Tony Blair pose at the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13 2025. © Yoan Valat, AP file photo
01:41
US President Donald Trump on Friday gave a key role in post-war Gaza to former British prime minister Tony Blair and appointed a US officer to lead a nascent security force.
Trump named members of a board to help supervise Gaza that was dominated by Americans, as he promotes a controversial vision of economic development in a territory that lies in rubble after two-plus years of relentless Israeli bombardment.
The leaders of Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were also asked to join the so-called Board of Peace.
The step came after a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern Gaza held its first meeting in Cairo which was attended by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who plays a key role on the Middle East.
Trump has already declared himself the board's chair and on Friday announced its full membership that will include Blair as well as senior Americans – Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, Trump's business partner turned globe-trotting negotiator.
In Canada, a senior aide to Prime Minister Mark Carney said he intended to accept Trump's invitation, while in Turkey, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had been asked to become a "founding member" of the board.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo was "studying" a request for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to join.
Sharing an image of the invitation letter, Argentine President Javier Milei wrote on X that it would be "an honour" to participate in the initiative.
01:41
US President Donald Trump on Friday gave a key role in post-war Gaza to former British prime minister Tony Blair and appointed a US officer to lead a nascent security force.
Trump named members of a board to help supervise Gaza that was dominated by Americans, as he promotes a controversial vision of economic development in a territory that lies in rubble after two-plus years of relentless Israeli bombardment.
The leaders of Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were also asked to join the so-called Board of Peace.
The step came after a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern Gaza held its first meeting in Cairo which was attended by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who plays a key role on the Middle East.
Trump has already declared himself the board's chair and on Friday announced its full membership that will include Blair as well as senior Americans – Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, Trump's business partner turned globe-trotting negotiator.
In Canada, a senior aide to Prime Minister Mark Carney said he intended to accept Trump's invitation, while in Turkey, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had been asked to become a "founding member" of the board.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo was "studying" a request for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to join.
Sharing an image of the invitation letter, Argentine President Javier Milei wrote on X that it would be "an honour" to participate in the initiative.
In a statement sent to AFP, Blair said: "I thank President Trump for his leadership in establishing the Board of Peace and am honoured to be appointed to its Executive Board."
Blair is a controversial figure in the Middle East because of his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Trump himself said last year that he wanted to make sure Blair was an "acceptable choice to everybody".
Blair spent years focused on the Israeli-Palestinian issue as representative of the "Middle East Quartet" – the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russia – after leaving Downing Street in 2007.
The White House said the Board of Peace will take on issues such as "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding and capital mobilisation".
Trump, a real-estate developer, has previously mused about turning devastated Gaza into a Riviera-style area of resorts, although he has backed away from calls to forcibly displace the population.
The other members of the board are World Bank President Ajay Banga, an Indian-born American businessman; billionaire US financier Marc Rowan; and Robert Gabriel, a loyal Trump aide who serves on the National Security Council.
Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad criticised the composition of the Board of Peace, saying it served Israel's interests.
The board "came in accordance with Israeli criteria and to serve the interests of the occupation", the group said in a statement.
Israel strikes
Israel's military said Friday it had again hit the Gaza Strip in response to a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire declared in October.
The strikes come despite Washington announcing that the Gaza plan had gone on to a second phrase – from implementing the ceasefire to disarming Hamas, whose October, 2023 attack on Israel prompted the massive Israeli offensive.
Trump on Friday named US Major General Jasper Jeffers to head the International Stabilization Force, which will be tasked with providing security in Gaza and training a new police force to succeed Hamas.
Jeffers, from special operations in US Central Command, in late 2024 was put in charge of monitoring a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which has continued periodic strikes aimed at Hezbollah militants.
The United States has been searching the world for countries to contribute to the force, with Indonesia an early volunteer.
But diplomats expect challenges in seeing countries send troops so long as Hamas does not agree to disarm fully.
Committee begins work
Gaza native and former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath was earlier tapped to head the governing committee.
Ali Shaath, head of the Palestinian technocratic committee for managing the Gaza Strip, arrives at a hotel in Cairo. © Mohammed Abed, AFP
The committee's meeting in Cairo also included Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, who was given a role of high representative liaising between the new governing body and Trump's Board of Peace.
Committee members are scheduled to meet again Saturday, one of them told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"We hope to go to Gaza next week or the week after; our work is there, and we need to be there," he said.
Trump also named a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.
Blair, Witkoff and Mladenov will serve on it as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Israel said on Saturday it objected to the board's line-up.
"The announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy," the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"The Prime Minister has instructed the Foreign Affairs Minister to contact the US Secretary of State on this matter."
Israel has refused a Turkish role in the security force, owing to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's fiery denunciations of Israel's actions in Gaza.
The board will also include senior figures from mediators Egypt and Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, which normalised ties with Israel in 2020.
Trump also named to the board Sigrid Kaag, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, despite his administration's efforts to sideline the world body.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
The committee's meeting in Cairo also included Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, who was given a role of high representative liaising between the new governing body and Trump's Board of Peace.
Committee members are scheduled to meet again Saturday, one of them told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"We hope to go to Gaza next week or the week after; our work is there, and we need to be there," he said.
Trump also named a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.
Blair, Witkoff and Mladenov will serve on it as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Israel said on Saturday it objected to the board's line-up.
"The announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy," the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"The Prime Minister has instructed the Foreign Affairs Minister to contact the US Secretary of State on this matter."
Israel has refused a Turkish role in the security force, owing to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's fiery denunciations of Israel's actions in Gaza.
The board will also include senior figures from mediators Egypt and Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, which normalised ties with Israel in 2020.
Trump also named to the board Sigrid Kaag, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, despite his administration's efforts to sideline the world body.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Israel objects to US lineup of 'Gaza executive board'
Netanyahu's office said the lineup runs contrary to Israeli policy. The Trump administration had announced panel members who will oversee the transitional government in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced the start of the second phase of the US president's Gaza peace plan
Netanyahu's office said the lineup runs contrary to Israeli policy. The Trump administration had announced panel members who will oversee the transitional government in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Image: Omar Ashtawy/APAimages/IMAGO
Israel objected on Saturday to the US announcement of members of a so-called "Board of Peace" executive board appointed to lead post-war Gaza, according to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that came into force in October.
US President Donald Trump on Friday announced the names of some of the people who are going to sit on the body that will oversee the transitional government in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Among those on the seven-member "founding executive board" are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
Trump himself will chair the "founding executive board."
Turkish, Qatari officials to sit on 'Gaza executive board'
In addition, there will be a "Gaza executive board" that, according to a statement from the White House,"will help support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza."
Witkoff, Kushner and Blair will also sit on the Gaza executive board, along with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi and other officials. Both Turkey and Qatar have been critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
What did Israel say about the US appointments?
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to discuss the Israeli reservations with Rubio.
"The announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy," the statement read, without going into specifics about stating the prime minister's exact objections.
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which is considered a terrorist group by some countries, also criticized the makeup of the board, arguing it "came in accordance with Israeli criteria and to serve the interests of the occupation, in a clear indicator of preexisting bad intentions over the implementation of the terms of the [ceasefire] agreement.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced the start of the second phase of the US president's Gaza peace plan.
The first phase called for a ceasefire that came into effect on October 10. Since then, both sides have accused the other of violating the deal.
Israel has continued to restrict aid into the Gaza Strip and conduct attacks.
And Hamas — which is designated as a terrorist organization by Germany, the EU, the US and some Arab states — has so far refused to disarm, a non-negotiable demand from Israel.
rmt/sms (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Israel objected on Saturday to the US announcement of members of a so-called "Board of Peace" executive board appointed to lead post-war Gaza, according to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that came into force in October.
US President Donald Trump on Friday announced the names of some of the people who are going to sit on the body that will oversee the transitional government in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Among those on the seven-member "founding executive board" are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
Trump himself will chair the "founding executive board."
Turkish, Qatari officials to sit on 'Gaza executive board'
In addition, there will be a "Gaza executive board" that, according to a statement from the White House,"will help support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza."
Witkoff, Kushner and Blair will also sit on the Gaza executive board, along with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi and other officials. Both Turkey and Qatar have been critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
What did Israel say about the US appointments?
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to discuss the Israeli reservations with Rubio.
"The announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy," the statement read, without going into specifics about stating the prime minister's exact objections.
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which is considered a terrorist group by some countries, also criticized the makeup of the board, arguing it "came in accordance with Israeli criteria and to serve the interests of the occupation, in a clear indicator of preexisting bad intentions over the implementation of the terms of the [ceasefire] agreement.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced the start of the second phase of the US president's Gaza peace plan.
The first phase called for a ceasefire that came into effect on October 10. Since then, both sides have accused the other of violating the deal.
Israel has continued to restrict aid into the Gaza Strip and conduct attacks.
And Hamas — which is designated as a terrorist organization by Germany, the EU, the US and some Arab states — has so far refused to disarm, a non-negotiable demand from Israel.
rmt/sms (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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