The Peace Council’s top representative, Nickolay Mladenov, announced Thursday that recruitment has begun for a new Palestinian police force to operate inside Gaza, in what he described as a key step toward the Strip’s demilitarization.
Speaking at the council’s inaugural meeting in Washington, Mladenov said the officers would be trained in Egypt. “There is no other option than complete disarmament and the handover of all weapons in Gaza so that reconstruction can begin,” he said.
According to Ali Shaat, head of the Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with overseeing civilian administration in Gaza, the initial police force will comprise 5,000 officers and begin operating within two months.
International Stabilization Force to Deploy
US General Jasper Jeffers, commander of the planned International Stabilization Force (ISF), said infrastructure for deployment has been prepared in recent months. The force, he confirmed, will undergo training in Egypt and Jordan.
Jeffers said the ISF will initially be stationed in Rafah before expanding to other areas. Its mission will be to stabilize security conditions and prepare the ground for civilian governance under the technocratic committee.
The multinational force is expected to include troops from Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo and Kazakhstan. The long-term goal, Jeffers said, is to field 20,000 soldiers, alongside a Palestinian police force that would eventually grow to 12,000 members.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Turkey is prepared to contribute troops, despite previous Israeli objections. Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch also signaled readiness to participate in the policing framework.
Trump Pledges $10 Billion for Reconstruction
US President Donald Trump said Gaza is no longer a “hotbed of terrorism” and announced a US pledge of $10 billion toward reconstruction. He added that roughly $7 billion had already been pledged by other countries.
Among those he named were Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Uzbekistan and Kuwait. Saudi Arabia had previously conditioned its participation on a formal end to the war, and an adviser to the Azerbaijani president later clarified that Baku had not committed to the announced contribution but may consider future assistance.
Jared Kushner, a member of the Peace Council’s executive board, said financial resources were not the main obstacle. “There is no problem with resources,” he said, describing the initiative as structured like a private-sector board effort and emphasizing partnership with both the Palestinian technocratic committee and Israel.
$30 Billion Reconstruction Vision
Mark Rowan, a council executive board member, outlined an ambitious housing plan that will begin in Rafah. He said 100,000 homes would be built for approximately 500,000 residents in the first phase. Over time, the plan envisions 400,000 housing units for Gaza’s full population at a projected cost exceeding $30 billion.
“The issue is not money,” Rowan said. “It’s a problem of peace.”
Conference presentations described a three-year timeline to rebuild Rafah and a longer-term plan to integrate Gaza economically into the region through a project referred to as the “Abraham Gate,” linking it with Israel, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
One video presentation included a simulation of a FIFA soccer complex. Gianni Infantino addressed the gathering and announced cooperation between FIFA and the Peace Council to construct 50 small and five large soccer fields in Gaza.
Political Signals and Diplomatic Undertones
In his remarks, Trump said the Peace Council would effectively oversee the United Nations to ensure it “works properly,” adding that he believes the UN will ultimately emerge stronger.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar attended the conference and praised Trump’s peace framework, arguing that previous initiatives had failed to address issues such as incitement and hatred.
When introducing Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani, Trump publicly commended Qatar’s role as an ally, saying it deserved greater recognition.
The conference concluded with Trump signing the council’s first draft resolution, which outlines its goals, authorities and institutional structure. Calling the occasion historic, he described it as “one of the most important days” of his career.
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