Gaza residents voice skepticism toward U.S.-led "Board of Peace"

The U.S.-led "Board of Peace", proposed as a mechanism to oversee post-war arrangements in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, has met with skepticism from Gaza residents, who questioned the initiative's sincerity after previous political efforts failed to solve their daily hardships.

The inaugural meeting of the so-called "Board of Peace" took place on Thursday. During the meeting, nine members pledged seven billion U.S. dollars for reconstruction efforts, alongside a separate ten-billion-U.S.-dollar contribution from the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump formally launched the "Board of Peace" on Jan. 22 at a charter-signing ceremony during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The move has sparked concerns that it could erode the authority of the United Nations and undermine the established multilateral peacekeeping framework. Some major global powers and traditional U.S. allies have also chosen not to join the board.

In Gaza, reactions remain cautious. While residents welcome any effort to rebuild, many are skeptical, pointing out that previous political initiatives have failed to bring about meaningful change on the ground.

"U.S. policy during the war was fully biased toward Israel, politically and militarily. The administration provided weapons and diplomatic cover, including the veto [at the United Nations Security Council], while also challenging international justice institutions," said Amjad Al-Shawa, director general in Gaza of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization Network (PNGO).

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians continue to live in tents, with entire neighborhoods still reduced to rubble. Many say they are waiting for real action, not more meetings that leave their daily hardships unchanged.

"We hope they are sincere this time and that they will lift the suffering we endured. Our people went through hunger, killing, and the suspension of education. Many children have stopped going to school," said Hassan Al-Batniji, a displaced Palestinian.

Analysts say that although the initiative contributed to a ceasefire, it may also carry political implications for the future of Palestinian governance.

"Palestinians are focused first on ending the war and preserving their land and people, while also addressing the political risks that could affect the Palestinian political system," said Ahmed Al-Tannani, a political analyst.

Gaza residents voice skepticism toward U.S.-led "Board of Peace"

Gaza's humanitarian crisis remains severe as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan got underway.

Despite a ceasefire, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are struggling to survive amid critical shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies.

For displaced families in Gaza, Ramadan began inside fragile tents rather than their homes.

Raed Hajjaj lives with his family in a tent. Securing food has become a daily concern. With no stable source of income, they depend almost entirely on charity kitchens and humanitarian assistance.

"We are a family of seven. We receive one food parcel every week or ten days, if we succeed in getting it. We are living like beggars, relying on charity kitchens, food parcels, or even just a bundle of bread. Honestly, this is not enough at all," said Hajjaj.

For many displaced Palestinians, fasting from food during the day is not new. As Raghdah Hajjaj explained, hunger has already become part of their daily reality, even before Ramadan began.

"Ramadan has come, and I swear tonight we shared half a box of cheese with a little fava beans with my children. We divided the cheese between us [so] we could all have something. And we thank God for that," she said.

As the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, United Nations organizations have warned that ongoing restrictions on the entry of basic supplies are increasing the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced people and undermining efforts to provide even minimum assistance.

"Whilst 1.5 million have lost their homes and are staying in damaged tents, they are in bad need of basic assistance. Israel continues restricting the entry of basic supplies in all humanitarian sectors, food, water, medical supplies and hygiene items," said Amjad Al-Shawa, general director of the Palestinian NGO Network.

Displaced Gaza families face acute shortages of food, medical supplies during Ramadan