US-Backed ‘Board of Peace’ Representatives Expected to Visit Gaza Soon

Washington —
Representatives of the international Board of Peace, established under President Donald Trump’s initiative, are expected to enter the Gaza Strip for the first time in the coming days, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported Wednesday.
According to the report, representatives of Nikolay Mladenov — appointed by Trump as the board’s senior envoy for Gaza — have formally requested access from the Israeli military to enter the blockaded enclave. This would mark the first visit by board representatives since the body’s establishment.
An internal source cited by KAN stated that Hamas “has not yet understood that it must disarm,” adding that the killing of Mohammed Awda, commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday was “part of the process of disarming Hamas.”
Mladenov last week presented a 15-point plan for implementing Trump’s Gaza blueprint, which includes the deployment of a multinational “International Stabilization Force.” Representatives of this force are also expected to visit Gaza next month.
The report further noted that Washington is set to deepen its engagement in Gaza following a de-escalation with Iran — and the anticipated board visit is seen as an early signal of this renewed involvement.
In January, the White House announced the establishment of transitional governing structures for Gaza, including the Board of Peace, the Gaza Executive Council, the National Committee for Gaza Administration, and the International Stabilization Force. The board’s inaugural meeting was held in February at the United States Institute of Peace, chaired by President Trump.
Since the war began in October 2023, Palestinian authorities report that more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 172,000 wounded — the majority of them women and children.