On January 16, the White House announced the creation of the National Committee for the Governance of Gaza (NCAG) and the formation of an international Council for Peace, which will be responsible for implementing the American peace initiative for the Gaza Strip. This information was published in a statement on the official website of the U.S. administration.
Ali Shaas, who previously held key positions in the Palestinian National Authority, will head the NCAG. His main task will be to restore essential public services, activate civil institutions, and stabilize life in Gaza.
As part of the implementation of the concept of the Council for Peace, initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, an executive committee has been formed, consisting of experts in diplomacy, infrastructure, and economic strategy.
The Executive Council of the Council for Peace includes:
- Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State;
- Steve Witkoff, special envoy of the president;
- Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump;
- Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom;
- Mark Rowan, American billionaire;
- Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank;
- Robert Gabriel, Deputy National Security Advisor of the U.S.
Each member of the Executive Council will focus on a specific area related to the long-term development and stabilization of Gaza. Key tasks include strengthening governance capacity, restoring infrastructure, developing regional relations, and attracting investments.
Among the senior advisors of the Council for Peace are Josh Grünbaum, commissioner of the U.S. Federal Procurement Service, and Arye Lightstone, who served as a senior advisor to the U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2017 to 2021. Their role will involve daily strategic guidance and the implementation of diplomatic priorities.
The link between the Council for Peace and the NCAG has been appointed to Nikolai Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat who will ensure coordination of actions for the recovery and development of Gaza, as well as interaction between civil and security structures.
Additionally, a separate Executive Council for Gaza has been created to support the Office of the High Representative and the NCAG:
- Steve Witkoff;
- Jared Kushner;
- Hakan Fidan, head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
- Ali Al-Tawadi, senior Qatari diplomat;
- Tony Blair;
- Mark Rowan;
- Rim Al-Hashimi, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation;
- Nikolai Mladenov;
- Yakir Gabai, businessman;
- Sigrid Kaag, former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
It is also reported that Donald Trump announced the creation of the Council for Peace in the Gaza Strip as part of his peace plan, which also includes the deployment of international forces.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff previously announced the start of the second phase of Trump's peace plan, which includes the establishment of a transitional administration and the NCAG, including the disarmament of illegal formations. Witkoff noted that in the first phase, Israel returned all living hostages and 27 out of 28 bodies of the deceased.
