Middle East — 2026-09-24

Trump Board of Peace Proposes 2.45 Billion Six-Month Blueprint for Gaza Reconstruction at UNGA Sidelines

BLUFIsrael's withdrawal from Gaza before December 31, 2026, remains unlikely, leaving the Board of Peace's $2.45 billion blueprint without a start date or operational relevance.

The Trump-backed Board of Peace unveiled a six-month, $2.45 billion recovery plan for Gaza at a New York briefing on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, covering 66 projects across infrastructure, security, and governance 12. Board officials, including Jared Kushner and Tony Blair, told representatives from roughly 35 countries that the plan estimates $35.2 billion in medium-term physical damage and $71.4 billion in reconstruction costs over the next decade 13. No start date was set, as implementation depends on Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal that Prime Minister Netanyahu's government has not begun, citing domestic political reasons ahead of the October 27 election 12. Board envoy Nickolay Mladenov said talks with Israel remain difficult amid election-related sensitivities, while Israel continues to block vetted Gaza police recruits from training in Egypt 13. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli strikes killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza the same day, including in Khan Younis, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City 4.

Analysis
Israeli withdrawal, the precondition for all 66 projects, is unlikely before December 31, 2026, leaving the blueprint unscheduled regardless of pledges secured in New York. Netanyahu's refusal to move ahead of the October 27 election, paired with continued blocking of vetted police recruits from Egypt training, signals no near-term shift even once a new government forms, and a fragmented election outcome would likely produce a caretaker government further extending the stalemate. This judgment carries moderate confidence, resting on consistent envoy-level acknowledgment of stalled talks without direct visibility into post-election coalition dynamics. Netanyahu's posture may reflect substantive rejection of the disarmament-withdrawal sequence itself rather than an electoral calculation that dissolves after voting. Donor governments deciding whether to release $17 billion in pledged-but-unspent February commitments now or hold them pending actual withdrawal will act differently depending on whether that precondition clears this year.

5 sources

Scoop: Trump's Board of Peace to unveil $2.45 billion Gaza recovery plan - Axios
Board of Peace unveils $2.4B Gaza recovery plan, but hurdles remain before implementation - The Times of Israel
Board of Peace proposes six-month $2.4bn plan for Gaza reconstruction - The National
Board of Peace plans $2.4bn Gaza reconstruction as Israel kills seven - Al Jazeera
Trump's Board of Peace Proposes $2.45 Billion Blueprint to Begin Gaza Reconstruction - U.S. News & World Report (AP)