Saudi Arabia joins high-level roundtable on peace and early recovery in Gaza

Donald Trump's Board of Peace unveiled a $2.45bn plan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to begin Gaza's reconstruction. The $2.45bn will be distributed across 66 projects over six months, focusing on housing, power generation, waste removal and other needs. However, the Board acknowledged that $18bn has been pledged but only $280m has been handed over so far.

The Board estimated full recovery and reconstruction will require about $71.4bn over the next decade. Jared Kushner, a member of the Board and Trump's son-in-law, admitted there are various delays in the project's implementation. US envoy Steve Witkoff reported that the group made "real progress" over the past year since the Board was formed.

The project faces challenges such as ensuring security in Gaza, overhauling internal governance, and reaching a consensus between Israeli and Palestinian officials. The Board is also looking for more countries to pledge financial assistance. Michael Eisenberg, an Israeli-American Board member, highlighted the need to clear unexploded ordnance and destroy tunnels before Gaza can start rebuilding.

The Board of Peace was established as part of the US President's 20-point Gaza peace plan unveiled in September last year. The plan requires Hamas to release all hostages, hand over governance to Palestinian technocrats, and disarm, an offer Israel has yet to accept.