Trump touts pledges of troops, billions for Gaza at Board of Peace summit

As the board meets for the first time, questions hang over Gaza’s ceasefire, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Feb 19, 2026

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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced that several countries would send troops to help stabilize the Gaza Strip as his Board of Peace held its inaugural meeting amid uncertainty over whether Hamas will disarm.  

Trump also announced the United States would contribute $10 billion to the body originally established to steer Gaza’s postwar future that is being promoted by his administration as a platform for global conflict mediation.

The Washington meeting brought together officials from dozens of countries and comes as major questions hang over the current phase of Gaza’s ceasefire, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of an international stabilization force to enforce the shaky truce. 

Trump said Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kazakhstan and Kosovo would contribute troops and police to stabilize the Palestinian enclave. Jordan and Egypt will help train the Palestinian police force. 

In mid-October, the Trump administration announced a truce that halted two years of war between Israel and Hamas that health officials in Gaza say killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and displaced a majority of the population. 

Reconstruction in the war-torn Palestinian enclave hinges on whether Hamas can be persuaded to hand over its weapons as required under the October ceasefire brokered by the United States and several regional partners. Major donor countries are unlikely to pour significant funds into reconstruction if there’s risk of renewed war. 

“I think they're going to give up their weapons, which is what they promised,” Trump said, adding that Hamas will be “harshly met” if it doesn’t. 

Trump announced a $7 billion relief package funded by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait. The initial pledges represent only a fraction of the roughly $70 billion that United Nations development experts say is required to rebuild the shattered enclave.

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