Trump Convenes First Board of Peace Meeting on Gaza

President Donald Trump plans to convene the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace on February 19 at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., aiming to raise funds for Gaza's reconstruction and advance the territory's governance and security amid an ongoing ceasefire.

The gathering, which administration officials described as both a diplomatic summit and a fundraising conference, follows Trump's scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 18 at the White House. Invitations have been extended to leaders from dozens of countries, with confirmations from participants including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Officials expect robust attendance, though details remain fluid as logistics are finalized. Netanyahu has accepted Israel's invitation to join the board but has not yet signed its charter, potentially marking his first public appearance with Arab and Muslim leaders since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and led to the abduction of more than 250 hostages.

The Board of Peace, announced by Trump in January, was initially established to oversee the end of the Israel-Hamas war in...