Board of Peace unveils $2.45bn Gaza reconstruction plan amid funding gap
The US-backed Board of Peace has announced a $2.45 billion Gaza recovery plan at a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The six-month programme covers 66 projects and is aimed at housing, diesel generation, waste removal and other urgent needs. It is being presented as the first stage of a wider reconstruction effort in the war-damaged territory.
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Board members said the plan is intended to show commitment to recovery, but they also acknowledged that financing remains incomplete. The board said $18 billion has been pledged so far, while only $280 million has actually been handed over. Jared Kushner, a board member and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, said the project had faced delays, while US envoy Steve Witkoff said the group had made real progress over the past year.
The board estimates that full recovery and reconstruction will require about $71.4 billion over the next decade. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a number of countries had stepped forward with financial assistance, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair said the responsibility on the board was huge. The announcement comes as the ceasefire remains in place but fragile, and as humanitarian and security questions continue to shape what can happen on the ground.
The plan also underlines how closely reconstruction is tied to political and security arrangements. The board has said progress depends on issues including Gaza's internal governance, security for those operating there and consensus between Israeli and Palestinian officials. In August, senior board official Nickolay Mladenov criticised continuing Israeli air strikes and warned that a collapse of the ceasefire would be a point of no return for the region.
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The wider backdrop is a territory where recovery has barely begun and where the scale of destruction remains severe. The board's figures are meant to attract donors, but the gap between pledges and money delivered shows how uncertain implementation remains. The latest announcement also reflects the continuing role of the board in linking reconstruction to ceasefire arrangements and future governance.
What remains unclear is when the first projects can start and whether the funding gap can be closed quickly enough to make the plan workable. Questions also remain over security, access for building materials and the shape of any future administration in Gaza. For now, the board has set out the cost and scope of the first phase, but not a guaranteed timetable for delivery.
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