President Donald Trump is preparing to present a comprehensive multi-billion-dollar reconstruction initiative for Gaza alongside details of a United Nations-mandated stabilization force during the inaugural ‘Board of Peace’ summit on February 19th in Washington, DC. The meeting will convene approximately 20 nations, including multiple heads of state, marking a significant diplomatic effort to address the Gaza crisis.
The Board of Peace, initially announced by Trump at last month’s Davos Economic Forum, incorporates nearly all major Middle Eastern powers including Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, with additional participation from Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia. Reuters reports that Trump will announce commitments from several nations to contribute thousands of troops to the proposed stabilization force.
Indonesia has emerged as a potential major contributor, with Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak and President Prabowo Subianto confirming preparations to deploy up to 8,000 soldiers should an agreement be finalized. ‘We are just preparing ourselves in case an agreement is reached and we have to send peacekeeping forces,’ Prabowo stated to journalists.
The financial architecture of the reconstruction plan envisions wealthier Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE funding Gaza’s rebuilding. However, these nations have expressed reservations. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously demurred when asked about financial contributions, while Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani explicitly stated in December that Qatar would not ‘write the check to rebuild what others destroyed,’ referencing Israel’s destructive operations.
The proposal faces significant geopolitical challenges. Arab and Muslim states remain hesitant to deploy troops, concerned about being positioned between an armed Hamas and Israeli soldiers who continue to occupy approximately 53% of the enclave. Many fear their forces could be perceived as enabling Israel’s occupation and ceasefire violations.
Despite these obstacles, the Trump administration has made some progress, including backing a committee of Palestinian technocrats reporting to Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza. The UAE, currently at odds with Saudi Arabia, has drafted plans to construct compounds for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied portion of Gaza.
The situation remains volatile with ongoing ceasefire violations and Israeli strikes continuing to claim Palestinian lives. Hamas refuses to disarm until Israel completely withdraws from Gaza, which remains divided by a ‘yellow line’ and subject to a comprehensive Israeli blockade via the Mediterranean Sea.