President Donald Trump announced the creation of an international “Board of Peace” on Thursday during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, positioning the new body as a global peace forum that he said could rival the United Nations as Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza winds down.
Speaking shortly after signing the board’s founding charter, Trump said hostilities in Gaza had largely subsided. “They’re down to little fires,” he said. “We can put them out very easily.”
Trump was the first signatory to the charter and was joined on stage by representatives from more than 20 countries, including Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Hungary, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. He described the initiative as a vehicle to coordinate peace efforts while also working alongside existing international institutions.
“We have peace in the Middle East, no one thought that was possible,” Trump said in brief remarks, according to the New York Post. “Today the world is a safer, richer and much more peaceful place than it was one year ago.”
While Trump spoke broadly about the board’s future scope, Secretary of State Marco Rubio later stressed that its immediate priority would remain Gaza. Rubio said the board’s “first and foremost” task is “making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring” before expanding its focus on other conflicts.
The Board of Peace was first proposed in September as part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which was developed alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. In November, the United Nations ratified a resolution endorsing the board’s role in overseeing a transitional Palestinian government to replace Hamas in Gaza, as well as supervising an international peacekeeping force.
Trump warned Hamas that the group’s survival depends on disarmament. “If Hamas doesn’t do what they say they will do, they were born with rifles in their hands. But they have to give up their weapons. If they don’t do that, it’s totally the end of them,” he said.
The White House confirmed last week that it is proceeding with “Phase Two” of the Gaza plan, despite Hamas failing to return the remains of Israeli counter-terror police Master Sgt. Ran “Rani” Gvili, believed to be the last unaccounted-for victim of the October 7, 2023 attack. “We are committed that Hamas must return that last remaining deceased hostage and that will be the full commitment and we’ll get on to bigger things,” Trump said.
Kushner also outlined long-term redevelopment plans for Gaza, including large-scale housing and tourism projects.
Speaking shortly after signing the board’s founding charter, Trump said hostilities in Gaza had largely subsided. “They’re down to little fires,” he said. “We can put them out very easily.”
Trump was the first signatory to the charter and was joined on stage by representatives from more than 20 countries, including Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Hungary, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. He described the initiative as a vehicle to coordinate peace efforts while also working alongside existing international institutions.
“We have peace in the Middle East, no one thought that was possible,” Trump said in brief remarks, according to the New York Post. “Today the world is a safer, richer and much more peaceful place than it was one year ago.”
While Trump spoke broadly about the board’s future scope, Secretary of State Marco Rubio later stressed that its immediate priority would remain Gaza. Rubio said the board’s “first and foremost” task is “making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring” before expanding its focus on other conflicts.
The Board of Peace was first proposed in September as part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which was developed alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. In November, the United Nations ratified a resolution endorsing the board’s role in overseeing a transitional Palestinian government to replace Hamas in Gaza, as well as supervising an international peacekeeping force.
Trump warned Hamas that the group’s survival depends on disarmament. “If Hamas doesn’t do what they say they will do, they were born with rifles in their hands. But they have to give up their weapons. If they don’t do that, it’s totally the end of them,” he said.
The White House confirmed last week that it is proceeding with “Phase Two” of the Gaza plan, despite Hamas failing to return the remains of Israeli counter-terror police Master Sgt. Ran “Rani” Gvili, believed to be the last unaccounted-for victim of the October 7, 2023 attack. “We are committed that Hamas must return that last remaining deceased hostage and that will be the full commitment and we’ll get on to bigger things,” Trump said.
Kushner also outlined long-term redevelopment plans for Gaza, including large-scale housing and tourism projects.
