A first phase focused on rubble and water
The Board of Peace, a body convened by former President Donald Trump, has announced a $2.45 billion initial plan to start reconstruction in Gaza. The money is meant to cover the first 180 days of work. It targets three things: clearing rubble, restoring basic water and sanitation, and creating temporary housing. The board says the plan is not a final settlement. It is a technical start. The figure covers contracts, equipment, fuel, and labor. It also pays for surveys of damaged buildings. UN agencies will help with procurement, but the board keeps political control. The announcement came after weeks of talks with Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Funding split among Gulf states, the EU, and private donors
The Board of Peace says Gulf states will provide about $1.1 billion of the $2.45 billion plan for Gaza. The European Union (EU) is expected to add $600 million. Private foundations and American donors will cover the rest, roughly $750 million. The money will sit in a special account managed by a financial agent. Disbursement depends on access through Israeli crossings, especially Kerem Shalom and Rafah. The board says it will publish monthly spending reports. Independent monitors from the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will verify deliveries. No money is meant to pass through Hamas. That condition has shaped the entire design. Contractors must sign declarations that they have no affiliation with Hamas or other armed groups.
Debris removal is slower than it sounds
Gaza holds an estimated 50 million tonnes of rubble, and the Board of Peace plan treats debris removal as a first-order problem. Some of the rubble is reinforced concrete, some is asbestos, and some is mixed with unexploded ordnance (UXO). The board plans to bring in mobile crushers and magnetic separators. Rebar will be sorted and sold or reused. Concrete will be crushed for road bases. Asbestos requires sealed transport to Egypt or Israel for disposal. The first contracts cover 12 months, not 180 days, because debris removal cannot be done quickly. The board says it will train local workers in hazardous waste handling. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will supervise the sites. The World Food Programme (WFP) will provide meals for workers. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will mark safe routes.
Temporary housing and the question of land
The Board of Peace plan includes 30,000 temporary housing units for Gaza. They are prefabricated structures, not tents. Each unit has water, solar power, and a small septic tank. The board wants to place them on cleared land near existing neighborhoods. That is easier said than done. Land records in Gaza are incomplete. The Oslo Accords left cadastral surveys fragmented. Many families lack deeds. The board says it will use satellite imagery and community affidavits to assign plots. It will not recognize permanent ownership during this phase. That decision has drawn criticism from Palestinian factions. The Palestinian Authority (PA) says any housing plan must be linked to a political horizon. The board says its mandate is humanitarian and temporary.
Water, sewage, and the Gaza Aquifer
Water is the hardest part of the Board of Peace reconstruction plan for Gaza. The Gaza Aquifer has been overpumped for decades. Seawater intrusion has pushed chloride levels above 500 milligrams per liter in many wells. The plan funds three reverse osmosis plants. Each will produce 5,000 cubic meters per day. That is enough for about 100,000 people, not the whole territory. The plants need electricity. The board will install solar arrays and battery storage. Sewage treatment will restart at the Sheikh Ajlin plant and a smaller site near Khan Younis. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will manage water trucking in areas without pipes. The World Health Organization (WHO) will test for fecal coliforms and heavy metals. Without water, no reconstruction can hold.
Health, schools, and the reality of delay
The Board of Peace says Gaza's hospitals lost about 70 percent of their bed capacity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The first phase reopens six clinics and two field hospitals. It provides generators, oxygen plants, and dialysis machines. Schools are also in the plan. The board wants to repair 200 school buildings by September. That target assumes access and security. Both are uncertain. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) runs many schools in Gaza. UNRWA faces its own funding crisis. The board says it will coordinate with UNRWA but not route money through it. That avoids a legal fight with Israel, which has accused UNRWA staff of ties to Hamas. UNRWA denies the charge.
Security, crossings, and the role of Israel
Israel controls Gaza's airspace, coastline, and most crossings, and the Board of Peace must work within that system. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and COGAT, the military body that coordinates government activities in the territories, must approve every truck. The board says it has a verbal understanding for 400 trucks per day. That is less than the 600 trucks needed during the 2023-2024 surge. The board also wants a maritime corridor from Cyprus. That route faces inspection rules. The EU and the United States have pushed for a United Nations Security Council resolution to protect aid workers. Resolution 242 from 1967 is often cited in debates about land for peace. It does not govern this operation. The board's plan is not a peace treaty. It is a construction program with political risks.
Historical baggage and legal limits
The Fourth Geneva Convention governs occupied territory, and the Board of Peace says its Gaza housing plan is voluntary and temporary. International lawyers disagree about whether temporary relocation can become permanent. The Oslo Accords created the Palestinian Authority (PA) and divided the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C. Gaza was not part of that map after 2007. Hamas took control in 2007, and Israel imposed a blockade. Egypt controls Rafah. Any reconstruction plan must deal with those facts. The board's $2.45 billion does not resolve them. It buys time and creates facts on the ground. Whether those facts help or hurt a future settlement depends on who controls the money and the borders.
What the board will measure and when
The Board of Peace lists five benchmarks for the first 180 days of Gaza reconstruction. First, 5 million tonnes of rubble removed. Second, 30,000 temporary housing units occupied. Third, 150,000 people with reliable water. Fourth, six clinics open. Fifth, 200 schools repaired. Independent auditors will check each benchmark. The board says it will publish results every 60 days. If benchmarks fail, the next tranche of $1.8 billion will be delayed. That structure is meant to reassure donors. It also gives the board leverage over contractors and local authorities. Critics call it a technocratic approach to a political crisis. Supporters say any help is better than none. Both views will be tested in the coming months.
