United States President Donald Trump held the inaugural meeting of the so-called "Board of Peace" in Washington, where several countries pledged $7 billion for the reconstruction of Gaza, while six countries committed to contributing troops to a future international stabilization force of 20,000 soldiers.
The initiative has caused strong controversy, after Trump offered seats on the board to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges related to war crimes.
According to a senior US official, Josh Gruenbaum, the US is in talks with several countries to include Hamas in direct negotiations on disarmament. He stressed that the disarmament of Hamas is an essential condition for the second phase of the ceasefire and a prerequisite for starting the reconstruction of Gaza.
"The important thing now is to send aid and rebuild Gaza," he declared, adding that work on creating the International Stabilization Force has been underway for months.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry reacted sharply, declaring that "Palestine is not for sale" and condemning what it described as Israel's expansionist plans.
Protests against the initiative were held outside the US Institute of Peace building in Washington, while critics see the "Peace Board" as an attempt to reformat the political order in Gaza under a US-led international umbrella.
