Members of the Peace Council to manage Gaza after the war

US President Donald Trump on Friday appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as founding members of the “peace council” for Gaza.

The White House confirmed in a statement that Trump also appointed his special envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga to the founding “Executive Council,” consisting of seven members.

The statement stated that Trump will chair the council himself, noting that other members will be announced in the coming weeks.

On Thursday, Trump announced the formation of a “peace council,” which is an essential element in the second phase of the American peace plan to end the war in Gaza.

The US President said that it is “the greatest and most prestigious council ever formed at any time and place.”

The formation of the council comes shortly after the announcement of the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee to manage the Gaza Strip after the war.

Ali Shaath, a Palestinian civil engineer born in Gaza, was chosen to lead the technocrat committee that is supposed to begin preparing the first phase of the reconstruction of the Palestinian Strip destroyed by two years of bloody war. He previously served as deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority.

On Friday, Trump appointed US General Jasper Jeffers as head of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza.

Bulgarian diplomat Nikolai Mladenov, the United Nations envoy to the Middle East peace process from the beginning of 2015 until the end of 2020, is expected to lead the field operations of the Peace Council.

The White House said that the council also includes billionaire Marc Rowan, an executive in the field of direct investment, and Robert Gabriel, a Trump advisor, adding that Nickolay Mladenov, the former United Nations envoy to the Middle East, will assume the role of High Representative for Gaza.

The White House also announced an “expanded executive council for Gaza” that includes UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashemi, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag, Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabbay, along with American businessman Mark Rowan, Ali Al-Thawadi, a Qatari diplomat, and the head of Egyptian General Intelligence, Major General Hassan Rashad.

The American plan stipulates the deployment of an international stabilization force in the Gaza Strip after the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, in order to monitor the border with Israel, in addition to training Palestinian police units to maintain security.

The plan also indicates the necessity of handing over all weapons and dismantling all tunnels, indicating that the Interim Transitional Authority will be responsible for running daily public and municipal services for the residents of Gaza, reconstruction, and attracting investments.