ABOUT THAT BOARD OF PEACE….🧐

[Rebbetzin]

Hi everyone,

Trump’s Board Of Peace is taking shape and the plans for Gaza are rolling along. Or are they? I had so much hope for this to take place, piecemeal by piecemeal of course (I can’t even imagine), but we all have to factor in the current, ongoing Hamas problem of not wanting to disarm or to hand over the keys to their kingdom.

Well, we could’ve predicted that without a crystal ball. These terrorists play for keeps and the people they manipulate for all sorts of gain are caught up in an ongoing clash of ideologies within and without and what we’ve seen to be beyond that most argued over piece of territory.

Despite certain biases I won’t go into, not my department, still, I thought these following two articles would speak volumes on the subject of Gaza and the Board Of Peace. This time they didn’t disappoint (as they usually do in oh so many ways).

And please don’t get me wrong, I would like to see this roundtable succeed where the UN has failed miserably. It’s all hotting up and I have to say it’s a bit exciting, isn’t it, and what the movie and television industry would term, a “slow burn”.

https://apple.news/AQg3Aav9zRDCOJhA1e920SQ

“UNITED STATES
“February 19, 2026 5:11 AM UTC

“At Board of Peace Debut, Trump Announces Global Commitments For Gaza Reconstruction.

“By Trevor Hunnicutt, Simon Lewis, Steve Holland

“Summary:

“Trump's Board of Peace does not include Palestinian representatives.

“$7 billion raised for Gaza reconstruction fund.

“US pledges $10 billion for Board of Peace.

“International Stabilization Force planned, disarming Hamas remains a challenge.

“U.S. President Donald Trump told the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday that nations had contributed $7 billion to a Gaza reconstruction fund that aims to rebuild the enclave once Hamas disarms, an objective that is far from becoming a reality.

“The disarmament of Hamas militants and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-battered populace of Gaza are among the major questions likely to test the effectiveness of the board in the months ahead.

“The meeting in Washington came amid a broader push by Trump to build a reputation as a peacemaker. It also took place as the United States threatens war against Iran and has embarked on a massive military buildup in the region in case Tehran refuses to give up its nuclear program.

“The Board's founding membership does not include some key U.S. Western allies concerned about the scope of the initiative.

“In a flurry of announcements at the end of a long, winding speech to representatives from 47 nations, Trump said the United States will contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace. He did not say where the money would come from or whether he would seek it from the U.S. Congress.

“MOSTLY MIDDLE EASTERN MEMBERSHIP

“Trump said contributing nations had raised $7 billion as an initial down payment for Gaza reconstruction. Contributors included Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait, he said. The membership is mostly made up of Middle Eastern countries, plus leaders from outside the region who may be looking to gain favor with Trump.

“Estimates for rebuilding Gaza, which was reduced to rubble after two years of war, “range up to $70 billion.

“Trump proposed the board in September when he announced his plan to end Israel's war in Gaza. He later made clear the board's remit would expand beyond Gaza to tackle other conflicts worldwide, a point he reiterated on Wednesday by saying it would look into "hotspots" around the world.

“Trump said FIFA will raise $75 million for soccer-related projects in Gaza and that the United Nations will chip in $2 billion for humanitarian assistance.
The Board of Peace includes Israel but not Palestinian representatives. Trump's suggestion that the Board could eventually address challenges beyond Gaza has stirred anxiety that it could undermine the U.N.'s role as the main platform for global diplomacy and conflict resolution.

“"We're going to strengthen the United Nations," Trump said, trying to assuage his critics, even though the United States is in arrears on making payments.
Trump said Norway would host a Board of Peace event, but Norway clarified it was not joining the board.

“IRAN SABER-RATTLING

“Even as he talked up himself as a man of peace, Trump rattled sabers against Iran.
Trump said he should know in 10 days whether a deal is possible to end a standoff with Tehran. "We have to have a meaningful deal," he said.

“Trump said several nations are planning to send thousands of troops to participate in an International Stabilization Force that will help keep the peace in Gaza when it eventually deploys.

“Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced his country would contribute up to 8,000 troops to the force.

“The plan for the force is to begin working in areas Israel controls in the absence of Hamas disarmament. The force, led by a U.S. general with an Indonesian deputy, will start in Israeli-controlled Rafah, an area that Israeli forces depopulated and demolished during the war. The aim is to train 12,000 police and have 20,000 troops.

“HAMAS DISARMAMENT A KEY

“Hamas, fearful of Israeli reprisals, has been reluctant to hand over weaponry as part of Trump's 20-point Gaza plan that brought about a fragile ceasefire last October in the two-year Gaza war.

“Trump said he hoped the use of force to disarm Hamas would be unnecessary. He said Hamas had promised to disarm and it "looks like they're going to be doing that, but we'll have to find out."

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Israel that Hamas will be disarmed one way or the other. "Very soon, Hamas will face a dilemma - to disarm peacefully or disarmed forcefully," he said.

“In Gaza, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the real test of the Board of Peace "lies in their ability to compel the occupation to halt its violations of the ceasefire, to oblige it to meet its obligations, and to initiate a genuine relief effort and launch the reconstruction process."

“The Board of Peace event had the feel of a Trump campaign rally, with music blaring from his eclectic playlist that included Elvis Presley and the Beach Boys. Participants received red Trump hats.

“Hamas, which has resumed administration of the ruined enclave, says it is ready to hand over to a U.S.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats led by Ali Shaath, but that Israel has not allowed the group into Gaza. Israel has yet to comment on those assertions.

“Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian with a senior role in the Board of Peace, said at the meeting that 2,000 Palestinians have applied to join a new transitional Palestinian police force.

"We have to get this right. There is no plan B for Gaza. Plan B is going back to war.
No one here wants that," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

(“Reporting By Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland, Simon Lewis, Samia Nakhoul, and Nidal al-Mughrabi; additional reporting by Steven Scheer and Omri Taasan in Jerusalem and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Don Durfee, Ross Colvin, Philippa Fletcher, Rod Nickel”)

And now for the other end of this story. Here’s this side of the equation from the same news service.

https://apple.news/An9lCuAMLQ4eGMeuB7eJgmQ

“Insight: Hamas tightens grip in Gaza as Trump pushes peace plan.

“By Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Maayan Lubell

“Summary

“Hamas appoints loyalists to key roles ahead of government handover.

“Group's continuing influence over key Gaza power structures fuels scepticism about prospects of Trump’s peace plan.

“Hamas says ready to hand over administration of Gaza to committee of technocrats
Trump's Board of Peace to discuss next steps on Thursday.

“Hamas is cementing its hold over Gaza by placing loyalists in key government roles, collecting taxes and paying salaries, according to an Israeli military assessment seen by Reuters and sources in the Palestinian enclave.

“Hamas’ continuing influence over key Gaza power structures has fuelled widespread scepticism about the prospects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which requires the militant group to give up its weapons in exchange for an Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.

“Trump's international Board of Peace, which is meant to supervise Gaza's transitional governance, is holding its inaugural meeting in Washington on Thursday.

“"Hamas is advancing steps on the ground meant to preserve its influence and grip in the Gaza Strip 'from the bottom up' by means of integrating its supporters in government offices, security apparatuses and local authorities," the military said in a document presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late January.

“Hamas says it is ready to hand over administration of the enclave to a U.S.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats headed by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority official in the occupied West Bank. But it says Israel has not yet allowed committee members to enter Gaza to assume their responsibilities.

“Netanyahu did not respond to Reuters' questions about Hamas' control over Gaza. An Israeli government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, dismissed any notion of a future role for the group as "twisted fantasy", saying, "Hamas is finished as a governing authority in the Gaza Strip."

“The Israeli military declined to comment on Hamas' assertions.
Israeli military officials say Hamas, which refuses to disarm, has been taking advantage of an October ceasefire to reassert control in areas vacated by Israeli troops. Israel still holds over half of Gaza, but nearly all its 2 million people are in Hamas-held areas.

“Reuters could not determine the full scope of Hamas' appointments and attempts to replenish its coffers.

“NEW GOVERNORS

“Hamas has named five district governors, all of them with links to its armed al-Qassam Brigades, according to two Palestinian sources with direct knowledge of its operations. It has also replaced senior officials in Gaza's economy and interior ministries, which manage taxation and security, the sources said.

“And a new deputy health minister was shown touring Gaza hospitals in a ministry video released this month.

“"Shaath may have the key to the car, and he may even be allowed to drive, but it is a Hamas car," one of the sources told Reuters.

“Israel's military appears to have reached a similar conclusion.

“"Looking ahead, without Hamas disarmament and under the auspices of the technocrat committee, Hamas will succeed, in our view, to preserve influence and control in the Gaza Strip," it said in its assessment, which was first reported by Israel's Channel 13 news. This is the most complete account of the document's contents.

“Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-controlled government's media office, denied these were new appointments, saying temporary replacements had been found for posts left vacant during the war to "prevent any administrative vacuum" and ensure residents receive vital services while negotiations continue over next steps in the peace process.

“The U.S. State Department and Shaath's National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“A source close to the 15-member NCAG said it was aware of Hamas' actions and was not happy about them.

“On Saturday, the committee issued a statement urging international mediators to step up efforts to resolve outstanding issues, saying it would not be able to carry out its responsibilities "without the full administrative, civilian, and police powers necessary to implement its mandate effectively".

“TRUMP'S BOARD OF PEACE HOLDS FIRST MEETING

“The appointment of Shaath's committee in January marked the start of the next phase of Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza, even as key elements of the first phase - including a complete cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas - remain unfulfilled.

“The Board of Peace is expected to receive reports on the committee's work on Thursday.

“Trump is also expected to announce countries that will commit personnel for a U.N.-authorized stabilization force and help train a new Palestinian police force, which the NCAG is expected to manage.

“Hamas is looking to incorporate 10,000 of its police officers in the new force, Reuters reported in January. They include hundreds of members of its powerful internal security service, which has merged with the police, two sources in Gaza said.

“Hamas' Thawabta dismissed the reports of a merger between the two forces as "entirely unfounded," saying, "There has been no change whatsoever in their work or the scope of responsibilities of either one."

“Asked whether Israel would raise concerns about Hamas' entrenchment in Gaza at Thursday's meeting, Netanyahu's office did not comment.

“Israel has said repeatedly it opposes any role for Hamas in Gaza after it attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing more than 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's air and ground assault on the enclave has killed more than 72,000 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

“One of the stated goals of this campaign was "dismantling Hamas governing capabilities" in Gaza.

“The group seized control of the territory in a brief civil war with its political rival, Fatah, in 2007. Since then, appointments to government ministries and municipal offices there have been decided by Hamas' political wing. It also set up its own civil service, which employs tens of thousands of people.

“At least 14 of Gaza's 17 ministries are now operating, compared with five at the height of the war, according to the Israeli military document. At least 13 of its 25 municipalities have also resumed operations, it says.

“Thawabta said "this relative recovery" was not a product of "political considerations".
"The organisational measures taken during the past period were necessary to prevent the collapse of the service system and do not conflict with any future arrangements agreed upon," he said in a statement to Reuters.

“According to the two sources, Hamas appointed the five governors along with four mayors to replace people killed or dismissed during the war. The selection of people with ties to its armed wing for the governors' roles was to crack down on armed gangs, they said, adding some had received weapons and financing from Israel.

“Netanyahu acknowledged Israeli backing for anti-Hamas clans in June, though Israel has provided few details.

“TAXES ON SMUGGLED CIGARETTES, PHONES

“Since a violent campaign against its opponents in the first weeks of the truce, Hamas has focused on maintaining public order and collecting taxes in its side of the "yellow line" agreed to demarcate Israeli- and Hamas-controlled areas, according to Israeli military officials and Gaza sources.

“"There is no opposition to Hamas within the yellow line now, and it is taking over all economic aspects of daily life," an Israeli military official told Reuters.

“Mustafa Ibrahim, a political commentator in Gaza, said looting and robbery had stopped.

“"Hamas is trying to organise markets and streets through the traffic police," Ibrahim said. "Police stations have reopened ... The tax department and economy ministry are working and collecting."

“Hamas collects taxes mainly from the private sector, the Israeli military document says. They include fees levied on Gaza merchants bringing in smuggled goods, such as cigarettes, batteries, solar panels and mobile phones, according to three other sources, including a merchant.

“Hamas has earned hundreds of millions of shekels by taxing smuggled cigarettes since the war began, according to an Israeli indictment filed this month against a suspected smuggling ring, which includes Israeli reservists serving in Gaza.

“Hamas has also continued to pay salaries to public servants and fighters, which average around 1,500 shekels (around $500) a month, according to at least four Hamas sources.

“"Every moment of delay in allowing the technocratic committee to enter the Gaza Strip leads to the imposition of a de facto reality," said Reham Owda, a Palestinian political analyst, "increasing the administrative and security control of the Hamas government in Gaza."”

“Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo and Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Rami Ayyub and Alexandra Zavis”


Note to self: need more popcorn!

Love and Shalom,

Rebbetzin Glenys xo