U.S. President Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join the newly established "Board of Peace." This initiative is a part of Trump's 20-point plan aimed at the reconstruction and governance of Gaza.
A senior official within the government has disclosed that Carney is inclined to accept the invitation; however, he has yet to officially communicate his decision to Trump.
Carney's name was not included in the initial list of executive board members, which the White House released on Friday. This list outlines key leaders who will oversee subsequent developments in Gaza. The governing committee for the territory, which will operate under U.S. supervision, convened for its inaugural meeting in Cairo on the same day.
The committee's leader, Dr. Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, expressed his commitment to quickly addressing urgent needs, particularly focusing on providing shelter. He anticipates that the reconstruction and recovery process will take approximately three years.
According to Trump's plan, the technocratic committee led by Shaath will manage the daily administration of Gaza's affairs while being overseen by the "Board of Peace." This board also includes prominent figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Trump’s deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel.
The specific role that Carney will assume remains undisclosed at this time. Additionally, Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian politician and UN Middle East envoy, has been appointed as the executive board's representative tasked with overseeing everyday operations.
The White House also introduced the members of an additional body known as the "Gaza Executive Board," which will collaborate with Mladenov, the technocratic committee, and the international stabilization force.
In reaction to the announcement of the progress in Gaza's ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized it as a "declarative move" rather than an indication of genuine advancement.
The latest phase of the ceasefire raised numerous questions, particularly regarding the implementation of an international security force to supervise the ceasefire agreement, the reopening of Gaza's southern Rafah border crossing, and the specifics related to the disarmament of Hamas.
Many Palestinians in Gaza are expressing doubt regarding the potential for tangible changes, especially in light of ongoing violence and dire living conditions. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that over 450 individuals have died since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was established in October, with UNICEF noting that this figure includes more than 100 children. Since the onset of Israel's offensive, the ministry claims that a total of 71,441 Palestinians have lost their lives, although the ministry does not specify how many of these casualties were civilians compared to combatants. Israel has contested these statistics but has not provided any alternative figures.
This winter marks the third since the onset of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which erupted on October 7, 2023, when militants infiltrated southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 individuals.
