New York (GNP): The Board of Peace, chaired under US President Donald Trump’s initiative, unveiled a $2.45 billion plan on Wednesday to support Gaza’s recovery, proposing 66 projects over six months to provide temporary housing and drive economic rehabilitation in the war-ravaged territory.
The plan was presented in New York during a meeting of Board of Peace members and stakeholders, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and the prospects for ending the conflict remained central concerns.
The Board of Peace, originally established to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and the territory’s reconstruction following the Israel-Hamas war, focused its presentation on temporary accommodation and economic rehabilitation for residents affected by the conflict.
Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s high representative for Gaza, urged support for the recovery plan while acknowledging the political difficulties surrounding discussions with Israel ahead of its elections. He said progress was being made despite the complexity of the situation. The meeting was also attended by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner.
The recovery announcement came as violence continued on the ground in Gaza. An Israeli airstrike struck a vehicle in western Khan Younis on Wednesday, killing two men, identified by medics as Osama Abu Khater and Mohammad Abu Elwan, and injuring two others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement that the military had killed Abu Elwan, describing him as a senior Hamas financial official, and vowed to continue operations against the group. Hamas did not immediately respond to the Israeli statement.
Palestinian authorities say more than 73,000 people have been killed during Israel’s military campaign since October 2023, with UN figures showing that 84 per cent of structures in Gaza had been damaged or destroyed by October 2025.
A US-brokered ceasefire reached last year envisaged Gaza’s eventual reconstruction, but negotiations have made limited progress amid continued disagreement over Hamas’s disarmament and an Israeli military withdrawal.
Gaza health officials say at least 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, while the Israeli military reports four soldiers killed during the same period, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
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The recovery plan was unveiled against this backdrop of continuing instability, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres separately warned that the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict risks collapse, citing Israeli settlement expansion and moves towards annexation.
Speaking at a high-level UN General Assembly meeting titled “The Road Ahead,” Guterres said conditions for a viable, sovereign Palestinian state were being systematically eroded, pointing to developments ranging from the destruction in Gaza to settler attacks in the occupied West Bank.
He called for full implementation of Trump’s 20-point provisional deal and the October 2025 ceasefire, alongside an end to settlement expansion and greater support for Palestinian institutions.
Antonio Guterres said, “There is simply no alternative, and time is running out.”
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
