Trump announces $17 billion in Gaza aid pledges at inaugural Board of Peace meeting

2026-02-19 - 21:02

President Donald Trump convened the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington Thursday, announcing billions in international pledges for Gaza reconstruction and declaring that "the war in Gaza is over." Trump credited "unrelenting diplomacy" for bringing 59 nations together to support Gaza's recovery, emphasizing that "there's nothing more important than peace, and there's nothing less expensive than peace." Financial Commitments and Regional Support The United States committed $10 billion to the new body, while Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait collectively pledged more than $7 billion. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is raising an additional $2 billion, with Japan agreeing to host a major fundraising event. FIFA will contribute $75 million for Gaza projects potentially including sports fields, with top football stars visiting the territory. Governance and Disarmament Trump outlined the board's mission to achieve "a Gaza that is properly governed throughout the whole area," positioning the body to make Gaza "an example of success and safety and unity." He expressed confidence that Hamas would honor its commitment to disarm, stating: "I think they're going to give up their weapons, which is what they promised. If they don't, they'll be harshly met, very harshly met." US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz reported significant aid improvement, with 4,200 trucks entering weekly for 13 consecutive weeks, reaching all 2.1 million Gazans at levels up to five times previous deliveries.