January 16, 2026 | 05:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced the formation of a Peace Council for Gaza, with council members to be named soon.
"It is a great honor for me to announce that the Peace Council has been formed," stated Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, as reported by France24.
He described it as "the greatest and most prestigious board ever assembled."
Trump's announcement came a day after his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, launched the second phase of the Gaza peace deal, focusing on demilitarization, technocratic governance, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
According to the peace deal, the Peace Council will be led by Trump himself.
The council will oversee a technocrat committee, led by Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official, who will manage post-war Gaza.
Statements from mediators such as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey indicate the Palestinian technocrat body will consist of 15 members responsible for developing industrial zones.
"These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future," said Trump. Many experts argue that Trump's heading a council to oversee Gaza's governance resembles a colonial structure.
Israel and Hamas agreed to Trump's plan in October, which states that the Palestinian technocrat body will be overseen by an international "Peace Council" intended to manage Gaza's governance during the transitional period.
Israel has violated the Gaza ceasefire thousands of times since October 10, resulting in the deaths of over 440 Palestinian civilians, including more than 100 children. Three Israeli soldiers also reportedly died, though Hamas denies carrying out any attacks.
The ceasefire is also tested by the difficulty in retrieving the final Israeli hostage's body, as 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have collapsed, Israel's refusal to reopen the Gaza-Egypt border crossing, and Hamas's refusal to disarm.
To continue the second phase of the ceasefire, Washington and its mediator partners must address Hamas disarmament, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the deployment of international peacekeeping forces.
He also stated that Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey will assist in securing what he referred to as a "comprehensive demilitarization agreement" with Hamas.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza since late 2023 has resulted in the deaths of over 71,000 Palestinian civilians, a majority of whom are women and children. The genocide has also led to a famine crisis and forced the entire population of Gaza into internal displacement.
Read: U.S. Says Second Phase of Gaza Ceasefire Underway
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