President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace unveiled a recovery plan for Gaza in New York on Sept. 23, outlining an estimated $2.45 billion effort for the first six months following entry into Gaza, subject to funding and access.
I attended the briefing, held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Its framework addressed the questions that will determine Gaza’s future: who governs, who provides security, and how families rebuild beyond war.
The preparations presented made a compelling case for supporting this initiative.
Jared Kushner, an executive board member and former senior adviser to Trump, captured the briefing’s spirit: “We didn’t talk about who’s to blame. People were just focused on solutions.” He described an opportunity to show the past year’s work, emphasizing practical answers rather than political statements or slogans.
Families need leaders prepared to work through details that can change their lives.
When I asked a senior Board of Peace official what the effort ultimately aims to achieve, the answer brought its priorities into focus.
“The Board of Peace’s plan for Gaza brings security, accountable governance, and economic recovery together in a thoughtful, thorough, and comprehensive approach,” the official said. “It is grounded in detailed, practical solutions and a commitment to radical transparency about the progress we have made, the obstacles we face, and the work still ahead.”
The significance of this approach lies in treating reconstruction as a security question as well as a humanitarian one. Rebuilding Gaza will accomplish little if Hamas retains the weapons, influence, and ideology to draw another generation into war.
U.S. special envoy and executive board member Steve Witkoff and European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica were among those participating, reflecting the international cooperation required.
The board’s vision calls for a “demilitarized, deradicalized, connected, prosperous Gaza” delivering “Security, Dignity & Opportunity.”
Those goals require trustworthy institutions, functioning services, and confidence that armed extremists will no longer dictate families’ futures.
The transition brings together the responsibilities of High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov, National Committee for the Administration of Gaza chief commissioner Dr. Ali Shaath, and International Stabilization Force commander Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers. Diplomacy, civilian government, and security must work together.
A year ago, hostages remained captive in Gaza as war continued. Today, the board reports more than 25 countries and 75 organizations working within a framework backed by the U.N. Security Council, with six countries supporting the stabilization force. That shift creates a foundation for progress.
The civilian transition would depend on Hamas handing over its weapons, with progress proceeding sector by sector and verification at each stage.
“Each phase is gated on verified decommissioning, not on a calendar,” the governance presentation stated.
Israel’s security must be the foundation of any lasting peace. After Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli families cannot be asked to rely on promises alone. Verified demilitarization is essential to preventing another attack and creating the conditions for Palestinian families to rebuild under an accountable civilian government, free from Hamas’s armed rule.
Deradicalization is equally essential to making that security endure. Removing weapons must be accompanied by confronting the glorification of terrorism and the incitement that helps sustain it. A lasting recovery should give Gaza’s next generation the opportunity to build lives free from Hamas’s ideology. The board deserves credit for making deradicalization an explicit part of its vision.
Aryeh Lightstone, senior adviser to the Board of Peace, reached for a familiar line from Spider-Man: “With great power comes great responsibility.” He emphasized partnership and linked meaningful change in Gaza to Hamas’s demilitarization.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, an executive board member, outlined the undertaking’s scale: an estimated $2.45 billion for Gaza’s first six months of recovery. The plan addresses shelter, hospitals, schools, water, electricity, security, and economic opportunity.
That specificity deserves attention. It gives partners concrete responsibilities and the public a way to judge whether promises become results.
Chief Operating Officer Elise van Zeeland and reconstruction and infrastructure head Shadia Jaradat represented the operational expertise required. Finance commissioner Dr. Bashir Rayyes and board chief financial officer Johannes Worsoe brought financial management into the discussion.
The board reported approximately $18 billion in early funding commitments and described procurement rules, financial controls, and independent auditing.
Other officials in attendance included Yakir Gabay, Gaza Executive Board member; Liran Tancman, adviser to the Board of Peace; Martin Edelman, Board of Peace Executive Board member; Josh Halpern, general counsel to the Board of Peace; and Josh Gruenbaum, senior adviser to the Board of Peace.
In his written foreword, Shaath explained, “What follows is not a wish list. Each program has been assessed, costed, and sequenced.”
Economic proposals include small-business support, transparent supply chains, digital payments, and improved connectivity. Recovery requires people to earn a living and shape their communities.
Shaath’s foreword makes that ownership explicit: “This recovery must be led by Palestinians, working in genuine partnership.”
The next step identified was to finalize demilitarization and civil transition sequencing with Israel.
OPINION — BLOOD ON THE UN PODIUM: IRAN’S PRESIDENT JUST DEFENDED GENOCIDE TO AN EMPTY ROOM
“The task ahead is difficult, and meeting it will require all parties and partners to put politics aside,” said a senior Board of Peace official. “We have a shared responsibility to deliver peace, security, and opportunity for the people of Gaza, Israel, and the region.”
By linking recovery to demilitarization, deradicalization, and accountable governance, the Board of Peace is paving the way toward a peace built on Israel’s security and a better future for Gaza. That effort deserves serious support.
Ariella Noveck (@AriellaNoveck) is a journalist specializing in antisemitism and Middle East affairs, with extensive experience covering Jewish communities worldwide.