Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-17 at 01:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-17 at 01:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-17 at 01:07

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 HEADLINESWhite House Unveils Gaza Board of PeaceGaza Executive Boards Push Civilian GovernanceUS Weighs Scaling Back Israeli Security AidThe time is now 8:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.The White House announced the composition of the Gaza Board of Peace and related structures, signaling the next phase of President Trump’s plan to supervise the transitional governance of Gaza amid a fragile ceasefire that has held since October but remains fragile and disputed by many observers. The Board of Peace will oversee governance and reconstruction in Gaza during a transition period, with a multinational and technocratic frame that aims to coordinate security, public services, and development while displacing direct military disarmament responsibilities onto a broader international and Palestinian technocratic apparatus.The founding Executive Board will be chaired by the President, with seven current or former senior figures serving as executive members: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff; Jared Kushner; Sir Tony Blair; Marc Rowan; Ajay Banga; and Robert Gabriel. The plan envisions additional members to be announced, and the White House indicated that Nickolay Mladenov, the former UN Middle East envoy, will take an executive role as High Representative for Gaza to act as the on‑the‑ground liaison between the Board of Peace and the Palestinian technocratic administration. The White House said the International Stabilization Force would be led by Major General Jasper Jeffers, tasked with coordinating security operations, supporting demilitarization, and enabling humanitarian assistance and reconstruction materials.A second governance body, the Gaza Executive Board, will work in parallel to support effective governance and the delivery of services. Its members include Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, Ali Al‑Thawadi, a senior Qatari diplomat, Hassan Rashad, Egypt’s intelligence chief, Reem Al‑Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, Yakir Gabay, a senior Israeli‑Cypriot businessman, Sigrid Kaag, a former UN humanitarian coordinator, and Nickolay Mladenov as the board’s on‑the‑ground representative. The White House described Mladenov as the High Representative for Gaza, linking the BoP and the NCAG, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which will oversee the restoration of public services and the stabilization of daily life while laying groundwork for long‑term, self‑sustaining governance.According to the plan, Ali Sha’ath will head the technocratic NCAG, which will oversee core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilization of daily life in Gaza. The White House said the NCAG would coordinate across civilian and security pillars to advance governance and development in Gaza during the transition. The two boards—the Executive Board and the Gaza Executive Board—are expected to work closely with the NCAG to implement the President’s 20‑point plan for ending the Gaza war and ushering in a transition toward civilian governance, reconstruction, and international support. Washington has signaled that additional members for both boards will be announced in coming weeks, with senior advisers Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum named to assist the Board of Peace.Diplomatic and regional implications of the arrangement are being weighed against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities and a deeply divided political landscape. Critics have raised questions about the structure of a “Board of Peace” supervising a fragile conflict zone, arguing that a board chaired by a sitting president and featuring a mix of Western and regional figures risks echoing traditional foreign‑administered governance models rather than a fully Palestinian‑led, self‑sustaining framework. Proponents say the arrangement could assemble essential international resources, expertise, and legitimacy to help Gaza rebuild, while ensuring accountability and a clear path to civilian governance that could reduce the risk of renewed fighting.In parallel, observers note that Israel’s security calculus remains centered on Hamas disarmament and the protection of civilians amid ongoing violence. Israel has described its actions since late 2023 as defensive in response to Hamas’s October 2023 attack that left more than 1,200 people killed and hundreds taken hostage, and it has faced international scrutiny over civilian harm. Human rights advocates and UN inquiries have accused actions in Gaza of causing a humanitarian catastrophe and have raised concerns about possible genocidal outcomes in some accounts, while Israel and its supporters emphasize the need to deter terrorism and safeguard its population.Within the United States’ policy conversation, commentary continues about the broader strategic relationship with Israel. In a separate and related public ...
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