US President Donald Trump has formally outlined the structure of a “peace commission” expected to “achieve” his 20-point plan for Gaza, days after US special envoy Steve Witkoff launched the “second phase” of a US-brokered plan to end Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
A statement released by the White House on Saturday details a three-tier power structure headed by a U.S.-led “peace committee” made up of billionaires and figures close to Israel.
Nikolai Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat who has been appointed as the High Representative of the Peace Committee, will oversee the transition from Hamas rule to a technocratic Palestinian government led by former Palestinian Authority (PA) Deputy Minister Ali Shas.
The White House also announced the establishment of a Gaza Executive Committee that will work with the Office of the High Representative and the Palestinian technocratic body named the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
While the US government frames this as a roadmap towards “recovery and prosperity,” the exclusion of Palestinians from the highest decision-making bodies suggests that they will have little say in determining future governance structures.
Here’s how the new three-tier governance structure will work and why experts warn it’s similar to a ‘commercial trust system’.
“Peace Committee”
The Founding Executive Council is at the top of the pyramid, according to a White House statement. This organization holds the purse strings and sets the strategic vision. It will be chaired by President Trump, who has veto power.
The lineup of executive officers is as follows.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Mr. Rubio is one of the most pro-Israel officials in the Trump administration. He said U.S. visas would not be granted to those who criticize Israel. He also criticized the move by Western countries to recognize Palestinian statehood, calling it a “reckless decision” that “only serves Hamas’s propaganda.” U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff: Witkoff is a New York-based real estate developer and investor close to President Trump. He was tasked with negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza. Witkoff was accused of rebelling against the Gaza talks last July, accusing Hamas of blocking the deal. Hamas politburo member Bassem Naim accused him of “serving the Israeli position.” Jared Kushner: Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. He is also an ardent supporter of Israel and has previously suggested that the Palestinians are incapable of self-government. He said Gaza had “invaluable waterfront assets”. Mr. Kushner was also the architect of the so-called Abraham Accords, a series of agreements that formalized relations between several Arab countries and Israel. Billionaire businessman Mark Rowan: Rowan is the co-founder of Apollo Global Management, one of the world’s largest investment firms. According to media reports, he does charity work in Israel and has donated money to pro-Israel advocacy groups in the United States. He also supports the Israel-American Council, which works to strengthen the Jewish communities in Israel and America. Mr. Ajay Banga: Mr. Banga is currently the President of the World Bank. He was appointed to the post by President Trump. Mr. Banga previously served as vice chairman of General Atlantic Corp. and chief executive officer of MasterCard. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair: Mr. Blair, who served as British Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007, supported the U.S.-led so-called “war on terror” in the early 2000s and participated in then-U.S. President George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq. He is considered a polarizing figure in the region. Robert Gabriel Jr.: Gabriel is the Vice Presidential National Security Advisor in the Trump administration.
According to authorities in Ankara, Cairo and Amman, President Trump has invited the leaders of Egypt, Turkiye and Jordan to join a “peace commission” overseeing the post-war transition in Gaza.
President Trump also invited a number of world leaders to serve on the peace commission, including Argentina’s President Javier Millei and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Bloomberg News reported Sunday that the Trump administration has asked countries to contribute at least $1 billion to become permanent members. Non-permanent membership remains free.
Mladenov, who championed the Abraham Accords as the UN special envoy for the Middle East from 2015 to 2020, will serve as a “bridge on the ground” between the peace commission and the NCAG.
The White House has appointed two “strategic advisers” with controversial records to the peace commission.
Arie Lightstone: A key figure in the Abraham Accords and the controversial aid organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The foundation has come under heavy criticism for mismanagement and failure to coordinate aid that led to the killing of hundreds of Palestinians seeking food.
Josh Gruenbaum: This is linked to previous plans to prioritize real estate potential over refugee rights and turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Gaza-based political analyst Iyad Alcala told Al Jazeera that the top-tier regime reflects a “corporate takeover” of the Palestinian cause.
“President Trump is treating Gaza not as a homeland but as a bankrupt company in need of a new board,” Alcala said. “He placed strategic decision-making in the hands of investors and foreign politicians, turning sovereignty into a commercial enterprise.”
“Gaza Executive Committee”
The “Gaza Executive Committee” has been established under the founding council and is tasked with regional coordination.
Steve Witkoff Jared Kushner Turkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Qatari diplomat Ali al-Tawadi Egyptian Director of General Intelligence Hassan Rashad Tony Blair Mark Rowan UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy Nikolai Mladenov Israeli-Cypriot real estate tycoon Yakir Gabai. His presence on the board, along with Arab and Turkish diplomats, calls into question the normalization of economic relations under the guise of recovery Sigrid Kaag, Dutch politician and UN coordinator for the Gaza Strip
The executive committee, which includes representatives from Arab countries, is tasked with helping “support effective governance” in Gaza.
“The board supports effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that promote peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza,” the White House said in a statement.
criticism of israel
Despite the U.S.-led nature of the plan, the inclusion of Turkiye and Qatari representatives faces Israeli opposition. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Sunday that the creation of the executive committee “was not coordinated with Israel.”
According to Israeli media, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for a return to “all-out war” and “voluntary migration” rather than handing over the Gaza Strip to a commission linked to Turkiye. Meanwhile, former national security adviser Yaakov Amidrol told Israel Radio: “Allowing Turkiye’s invasion of Gaza, led by a government sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood, is a strategic mistake that will strengthen Hamas.”
But Al-Kala dismisses this “outrage” as largely theatrical. “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s opposition is tactical,” Alcala said. “Ultimately, this commission outsources the heavy lifting of managing Gaza’s devastation to international donors, while Israel maintains security control at no cost.”
National Committee for the Administration of Gaza
At the bottom of the hierarchy is NCAG, the only Palestinian component.
In an interview with Egyptian media, committee chairman Ali Shas confirmed the official line-up. Our 12-member team is made up of experts all responsible for managing specific service areas.
Economy and Trade: Engineer Aed Abu Ramadan Agriculture: Abdel Karim Ashour Health: Dr. Aed Yagi Housing and Land: Engineer Osama Al Saadawi Judiciary: Adnan Abu Warda Internal Affairs and Internal Security: Major General Sami Nasman Local Government and Water: Ali Barhoum Finance: Bashir Al Rayyes Social Affairs: Hana Tarazi Education: Jabr Al Daour Telecommunications: Engineer Omar Al Shammari
Maj. Gen. Sami Nassman has been appointed to the internal affairs department, putting a veteran in charge of the country’s police force. But his authority remains questionable given the parallel presence of U.S.-led troops.
Critics argue that demoting Palestinians to this tier deprives them of political agency. Wissam Afifa, a writer and analyst based in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that the structure confirms concerns about “new mandates.”
“Palestinians have been reduced to local government employees,” Afifa said. “They are tasked with cleaning up sewage and rebuilding schools, but they have zero say in the political future of their land. It is a sovereignty-minus model where a ‘national commission’ takes orders from a ‘high representative’ who takes orders from the White House.”
But Afifa added that those who witnessed the genocide are desperate for things to change. “Speaking not as an analyst, but as a citizen living through a catastrophe, people see this commission as a potential lifeline,” Afifa said. “There is great hope that some semblance of life can finally be restored to areas that Israel has made uninhabitable.”
Afifa stressed that while members of the technocratic government are “highly professional”, the real challenge lies elsewhere. “This is not a test for the committee. This is a test for Trump,” he explained.
He questioned whether the new administration would bring “Marshall Plan-level support” and whether it would be “unable to rein in Israeli arrogance.”
“The fear is that we will face humanitarian threats where security concessions are a condition for aid,” Afifah said.
international stabilization force
Operating in parallel with these layers is a military pillar led by US General Jasper Jeffers as commander of the International Stabilization Force. His mission includes “permanent disarmament.”
Afifa warns that this clause shifts the premise from relief to Israel’s security priorities, potentially setting the stage for conflict.
“The core problem is that this force is tasked with enforcing Israel’s policy of disarmament without a political solution,” Afifah warned. “Most countries are hesitant because they refuse to act as Israel’s security contractors. This is not a recipe for stability, but a recipe for internationalized civil war.”
conclusion
The Peace Committee forms a clear hierarchy. The US and business magnates decide, the region pays for and coordinates, and the Palestinians provide the services.
“This is the ultimate alienation,” Afifa concluded. “This plan seeks to kill the Palestinian national project by separating the ‘service’ file from the ‘political’ file.”
Al-Kala added that the structure treats the symptoms while ignoring the disease.
“The real test is on the ground,” Alcala told Al Jazeera. “The people of Gaza want a Palestinian state, not a U.S. trusteeship. Those who cannot address the occupation are simply managing the crisis, not solving it.”
