Trump gets pledges for Gaza reconstruction and troop commitments at inaugural Board of Peace talks

By AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Thursday at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package and five countries have agreed to deploy troops as part of an international stabilization force for the war-battered Palestinian territory.

While lauding the pledges, Trump faces the unresolved challenge of disarming Hamas, a sticking point that threatens to delay or even derail the Gaza ceasefire plan that his administration notched as a major foreign policy win.

The dollars pledged, while significant, represent a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of war between Israel and Hamas. And while Trump praised allies for making the commitments of funding and troops, he offered no detail on when the pledges would be implemented.

“Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region),” Trump said in thanking the donors. He added, “The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be buil...