Donald Trump has appointed former British prime minister Tony Blair to a newly created Gaza “Board of Peace,” a body the White House says will help implement the president’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Palestinians in Gaza.
In a statement released on Friday, the White House said Blair will serve as a founding executive member alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, and the US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
Also named to the founding board are Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel. The administration said each member will oversee a portfolio considered vital to Gaza’s “stabilisation and long-term success,” including governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment, and large-scale financing.
Structure and Roles Announced
The White House said Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat and former senior United Nations official, will act as High Representative for Gaza. A separate Gaza Executive Board has also been formed to support governance and essential services on the ground.
Members of that executive board include Blair, Kushner and Witkoff, as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi, among others.
In addition, the White House said Jasper Jeffers has been appointed commander of an International Stabilisation Force for Gaza. The force is expected to oversee security operations, facilitate humanitarian assistance and support what the administration described as comprehensive demilitarisation.
Governance Transition and Security Questions
The Gaza Executive Board will work alongside the Office of the High Representative and a newly formed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy transport minister. The committee is intended to handle day-to-day governance in Gaza in place of Hamas.
Hamas has previously indicated it could step back from governing responsibilities under the US plan, though it has insisted on guarantees before any disarmament. There was no immediate response from Hamas or other Palestinian factions to Friday’s announcements.
War Continues as Plan Advances
The announcement comes days after Witkoff said phase two of the US-brokered plan had begun, shifting focus from a ceasefire to demilitarisation, technocratic governance and reconstruction. The war, which began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Despite the ceasefire framework announced in October, Israeli attacks have continued across Gaza, and humanitarian groups say aid access remains severely restricted. On Friday, Israeli strikes reportedly killed a 10-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy and an elderly woman, even as a planned Palestinian technocratic committee met in Cairo to prepare for the next phase.
Criticism and Controversy
The inclusion of Blair has drawn criticism, given his support for the US-led “war on terror” and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Kushner has also faced scrutiny over past remarks questioning Palestinian self-governance and comments describing Gaza’s coastline as “very valuable” property.
Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera correspondent Mike Hanna said the structure suggests the Board of Peace will set overall direction, while the Gaza Executive Board manages day-to-day transition on the ground. He added that Mladenov’s appointment points to a UN component, which he said is crucial for credibility.
Critics argue the board risks sidelining Palestinian voices. Ashish Prashar, a former aide to Blair, said Gaza’s future should be determined by Palestinians themselves and questioned the legitimacy of international trusteeship.
As the new bodies take shape, uncertainty remains over how the plan will be implemented amid ongoing violence and deep skepticism among Palestinians about whether the initiative can deliver lasting peace.