NEWS
NEWS

Trump confidants, former British leader and Middle East officials are at forefront of U.S. Gaza plan

Updated

Two of President Donald Trump's closest confidants, a former British prime minister, an American general and a collection of top officials from Middle Eastern governments are at the forefront of the U.S. Gaza ceasefire plan

A yellow block demarcating the "Yellow Line," which has separated the Gaza Strip's Israeli-held and Palestinian zones
A yellow block demarcating the "Yellow Line," which has separated the Gaza Strip's Israeli-held and Palestinian zonesAP

The White House this week announced the members of a new Palestinian committee to run Gaza's day to day affairs, along with an executive committee of international experts who will supervise these efforts. They include a high-powered group of people with strong connections across the region and varying degrees of leverage of Israel and Hamas.

The entire effort will be overseen by the "Board of Peace" — a collection of world leaders led by Trump whose other members still have not been named.

Still, this week's appointments mark an important step forward for Trump's ambitious ceasefire plan. The White House this week said the plan had entered its second phase, which includes the new Palestinian committee in Gaza, deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction of the war-battered territory.