Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has received only a small fraction of the $17 billion pledged for Gaza, hindering his ability to advance plans for the devastated Palestinian enclave. The funds were intended for large-scale rebuilding after Hamas’ attacks on Israel and subsequent Israeli withdrawal.
Out of ten countries that pledged money, only three – the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and the US – have contributed, with total funding under $1 billion as of now. This has prevented the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) from entering Gaza due to lack of funds and security concerns.
Hamas has repeatedly stated its readiness to hand over governance to NCAG, led by Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister with the Palestinian Authority. However, without funding, NCAG remains in Cairo under supervision by American and Egyptian handlers.
The reconstruction of Gaza, where four-fifths of buildings were destroyed during two years of Israeli bombardment, is projected to cost around $70 billion. This stalled plan for Gaza’s future mirrors other ambitious initiatives by Trump, who has sought global peacemaker status but struggled with the Ukraine war and this week’s Iran truce.
Hamas was invited for more meetings on Saturday, according to a source in the militant group. The ceasefire halted full-scale war but left Israeli troops controlling a depopulated Gaza zone comprising over half of the territory, with Hamas holding power in a narrow coastal strip. Trump’s board has been leading negotiations with Hamas and other Palestinian factions on disarmament, which Israel says must precede its withdrawal from Gaza.