Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been appointed to help oversee the future of the Gaza Strip as part of a new U.S.-backed peace initiative announced by President Donald Trump.
Under the plan, Gaza would be governed by a temporary, apolitical Palestinian administration, operating under the supervision of a newly created “Board of Peace.” The White House described the body as a high-level governing and oversight board tasked with guiding Gaza’s stabilization, reconstruction, and long-term governance.
Blair has been named to the board’s founding executive leadership alongside several senior figures from the Trump administration and its allies. Those include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and a key architect of the peace plan; and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. Additional members include billionaire investor Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel.
In a statement, the White House said each board member will be assigned a defined portfolio focused on areas critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success. Trump, who will serve as chairman of the Board of Peace, praised the group’s composition, calling it “the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled.”
A separate Gaza Executive Board, which includes Blair, Rubio, and Kushner, will focus on supporting effective governance and ensuring the delivery of services aimed at promoting peace, stability, and economic recovery for Gaza’s population.
The administration also announced the creation of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which will be led by Ali Sha’ath, described as a widely respected technocratic figure. According to the White House, Sha’ath will oversee the restoration of essential public services, rebuilding of civil institutions, and stabilization of daily life in Gaza, while laying groundwork for long-term, self-sustaining governance.
Nickolay Mladenov, a former senior international diplomat, has been appointed High Representative for Gaza. In that role, he will serve as the on-the-ground liaison between the Board of Peace and the NCAG.
Security responsibilities under the plan will fall to an International Stabilization Force, to be commanded by Major General Jasper Jeffers. The force will be tasked with maintaining security, supporting demilitarization efforts, and ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials.
The announcement comes amid continued instability following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza lasted roughly two years and resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, according to local health authorities. Although a ceasefire took effect in October, sporadic violence has continued, with both Israel and Hamas accusing one another of violations.
U.S. officials acknowledge that implementing the next phase of the peace plan will be complex and politically sensitive, as Gaza faces widespread destruction, humanitarian challenges, and deep mistrust among the parties involved.