US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, extended President Donald Trump’s invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for participation in the Board of Peace that is part of a plan to bring “lasting peace to Gaza” on Sunday (January 19).
It marks the latest in a scheme Trump floated in September 2025, when he announced “a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict.” He described the board as a “new international organisation and transitional governing administration.”
Days earlier, several other bodies were also announced under the plan. These include the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) and a Gaza Executive Board to support “effective governance”.
Notably, the entirety of the plan has been viewed with scepticism in various quarters — for reasons ranging from how the board would actually work given the reality of devastation in Gaza, to how its charter reportedly does not even mention Gaza. You can click here to read more about these issues.
Here is what the two bodies look like, and how key actors have reacted to their formation.
National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG)
According to the White House, the NCAG “will be led by Dr. Ali Sha’ath, a widely respected technocratic leader who will oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilization of daily life in Gaza, while laying the foundation for long-term, self-sustaining governance.”
The think tank European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) stated that Shaath has held several positions in the Palestinian Authority (PA), working in the ministries of planning and transportation, and that he has a PhD in engineering from Queen’s College London. PA is a governing body that exercises some control over the Palestinian territories in the West Bank.
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“Shaath comes from a large Gazan clan with extensive ties to president Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party,” ECFR added. Fatah and Hamas, the other major Palestinian player in the region, have competed for power over the years. They have disagreed over the use of violence in the conflict with Israel, with Fatah advocating for peaceful means to achieve power.
Shaath said in a recent social media post of his team: “We are committed to establishing security, restoring the essential services that form the bedrock of human dignity such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education, as well as cultivating a society rooted in peace, democracy, and justice. Operating with the highest standards of integrity and transparency, the NCAG will forge a productive economy capable of replacing unemployment with opportunity for all.”
Gaza Executive Board
This board has been created to “help support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza.” It will oversee the NCAG.
It has 11 members, including some prominent names:
*Steve Witkoff: He was appointed as Trump’s Middle East envoy in his second term. A real estate developer, he was dispatched to negotiate a peace deal between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.
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*Jared Kushner: Trump’s son-in-law, through his daughter Ivanka, Kushner was Trump’s key Middle East advisor in his first term. Of late, he has spoken about a post-war Gaza in terms of developing a “waterfront”, in line with Trump’s earlier, much-criticised plans of building hotels and resorts.
*Tony Blair: The former UK Prime Minister has a contentious history in the Middle East — from supporting the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 to, more recently, his think tank advising on the future of the Gaza Strip, which included Trump’s Riviera plans.
*Reem Al-Hashimy: She has been serving as the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation since 2016. In a statement, she said, “Achieving lasting peace requires the concerted efforts of the international community and effective governance of the Gaza Strip.” Her country has criticised Israel’s military actions and termed them as “genocide”, while leveraging its diplomatic ties with Israel to influence its conduct.
*Yakir Gabay: The only Israeli person on the board, Gabay is a businessman with investments in real estate. According to a CNET report, “Over the past two years, Gabay has been seen dining with Kushner in Tel Aviv, and Blair was the guest of honor at Gabay’s son’s bar mitzvah. Gabay also has a close acquaintance with Witkoff.”
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Some of the people on this board, including Blair and Witkoff, are also part of the Executive Board of the Board of Peace.
How Hamas, Israel have reacted
Hamas is yet to react to the recent developments. Back in October, it said it accepted some elements of the plan, including giving up some power and releasing all remaining hostages, but that others required further consultations among Palestinians.
However, Israel reacted strongly against the new bodies. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X that “The Gaza Strip does not need any “administrative committee” to oversee its “rehabilitation” – it needs to be cleansed of Hamas terrorists”.
This points to a crucial roadblock in any attempts for peace in Gaza — Israel’s insistence on eliminating Hamas first, before any relaxations towards the Palestinians, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reluctance to risk losing power by agreeing to a compromise on that stance.
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The Israeli government also said that some of the appointments were “not coordinated with Israel and were contrary to its policy”. The Guardian reported that Netanyahu also told the Israeli foreign minister to contact the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
