Full Breakdown
Trump’s “Board of Peace” Stalls on Gaza Reconstruction Funding
5/27/2026, 8:19:46 PM
Core Facts: Funding Gap and Pledged Resources
Donald Trump announced the “Board of Peace” in January, a World Bank-backed entity intended to channel billions into Gaza’s post-war rebuilding. Nine countries—including Azerbaijan, Israel, Qatar, Bahrain and others—pledged more than $9 billion to a relief package. Four months after the board’s creation, no U.S. dollars have been deposited, and the board has not awarded any contracts for security or reconstruction projects.
Background: Intended Structure and Membership
The board’s membership list features Trump allies and several authoritarian leaders, alongside the four donor nations. Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov serves as the board’s “high representative” for Gaza. The board was promoted as a mechanism to coordinate reconstruction, yet it lacks an operational presence in the territory.
Funding Pledges vs. Disbursements
- United Arab Emirates: pledged $100 million for training a new Gaza police force; the funds remain frozen.
- Morocco: contributed $20 million, earmarked for an office for Mladenov and salaries for a Palestinian technocratic committee.
- U.S. State Department: pledged to redirect roughly $1.2 billion toward board-linked projects, but none of this money has been managed by the board.
- Overall Need: estimates place the cost of rebuilding Gaza over the next decade at more than $70 billion.
Official Statements & Responses
A board spokesperson explained that contracts have not been awarded because the board is “not operating in Gaza yet,” citing Hamas’s refusal to disarm and the absence of a governing authority on the ground to handle services. The spokesperson also emphasized that the board is “not hoarding money in a bank account” and that funds cannot be allocated to projects that cannot be delivered. A senior congressional aide told the Financial Times that “None of that money [has gone to the board]. None of that money is being managed by the Board of Peace. And State tells us there’s no intent to have any of that money managed by the Board of Peace.”
Criticism & Opposition
Donor fatigue is evident. A source quoted by The Guardian said, “Nobody with money and resources wants to work with the Board of Peace.” The same source added that the “Lump on the conflict with Iran, and the people with deep pockets now have an excuse not to pay.” Observers note that the lack of tangible progress after a ceasefire has further discouraged contributions.
Conflicting Reports & Unresolved Issues
While the board’s fund has received “zero dollars” according to multiple sources, the UAE’s pledged $100 million and the State Department’s $1.2 billion indicate that money exists but is either frozen or not allocated to the board. The discrepancy between pledged amounts and actual disbursements remains unexplained, and no governing authority in Gaza has been established to receive or manage funds.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Zero dollars have been deposited,” one source said.
- “None of that money [has gone to the board]. None of that money is being managed by the Board of Peace. And State tells us there’s no intent to have any of that money managed by the Board of Peace,” — senior congressional aide, Financial Times.
- “not one U.S. dollar” has gone toward rebuilding Gaza. — source, Financial Times.
- “Nobody with money and resources wants to work with the Board of Peace,” — source, The Guardian.
- “Lump on the conflict with Iran, and the people with deep pockets now have an excuse not to pay.” — source, The Guardian.
- “We’re not, like, hoarding money in a bank account and then awarding contracts for things that can’t be delivered,” — board spokesperson.
Implications and What Lies Ahead
The board’s inability to secure and deploy pledged funds hampers Gaza’s reconstruction, prolonging humanitarian needs and casting doubt on the initiative’s credibility. Until a functional governing authority is established in Gaza and donor confidence is restored, the board is unlikely to move beyond the planning stage, leaving the $70 billion reconstruction gap unfilled.
