Gaza Strip: The US Names the Leadership of the 'Council for Peace' 0 8

The executive council of the so-called 'Council for Peace', which is supposed to play an important role in the peaceful settlement in the Gaza Strip, will include, among others, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President's Special Envoy Stephen Witkoff, Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. This is stated in a press release published on the White House website on Friday, January 16.

The 'Council for Peace' is supposed to ensure the implementation of Trump's 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip, allowing for strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and 'ensuring accountability during the transition of the Gaza Strip from conflict to peace and development,' the document states. Donald Trump himself will chair this body.

'Executive Council for the Gaza Strip'

Bulgarian diplomat Nikolai Mladenov has been appointed as the High Representative for the Gaza Strip. His tasks will include ensuring interaction between the technocratic Palestinian administration and the 'Council for Peace', the White House notes.

Additionally, in support of the Office of the High Representative and the technocratic administration, an 'Executive Council for the Gaza Strip' has been established. Besides Mladenov himself, it includes Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy, and others.

Germany Ready to Work in the 'Council for Peace' for the Gaza Strip

As stated the same day, January 16, by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Berlin is ready to participate in the work of the 'Council for Peace'. 'We expect that specific discussions on this topic will take place soon, and perhaps an invitation will follow,' said the head of German diplomacy after a meeting with his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger.

Earlier, The Telegraph reported that the 'Council for Peace' will likely include representatives from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.

'I think the 'Council for Peace' will be an important institution,' Wadephul added on January 16. According to the head of the German Foreign Ministry, the future of the Gaza Strip will only be successful if Hamas - an organization recognized as terrorist by the EU and the US - does not participate in it.

Formation of the 'Council for Peace' for the Gaza Strip

The formation of the 'Council for Peace' was announced shortly after the announcement of the creation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic administration, which is tasked with managing everyday life in the Gaza Strip.

On January 14, US Special Envoy Witkoff announced on behalf of Trump the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This phase includes, among other things, the disarmament of Hamas and the deployment of International Stabilization Forces (ISF) in the Gaza Strip to support the Palestinian police.

According to the White House press release, Major General Jasper Jeffers, former commander of the special operations forces of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), has been appointed as the commander of the ISF.

In December, the Hamas movement announced its readiness to lay down arms under a number of conditions, particularly the complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from the Gaza Strip. '(The presence of our weapons is explained by occupation and aggression. If the occupation ends, this weapon will be handed over to the control of the state),' claimed the movement's leader Khalil al-Hayya.

Hamas Attack on Israel

The attack by the Hamas movement, recognized as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the US, on Israel on October 7, 2023, marked the starting point of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. At that time, militants launched a rocket strike on Israel, invaded its territory, and carried out the most massive massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing about 1,200 people. They also took around 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. Later, some hostages were exchanged or released, while others died.

In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombings of the Gaza Strip, more than 70,000 Palestinians were killed, and over 169,000 were injured, claims the health ministry controlled by Hamas. However, it does not specify how this statistic is compiled. For example, it is unclear how many Islamist militants were among the dead, and whether deaths from natural causes of Palestinians in hospitals are included in this figure.

DW