Trump Board of Peace’s official Gaza fund is empty

AFP | Washington

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US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has no cash in its official Gaza reconstruction fund, despite member countries pledging billions of dollars, a source familiar with the board said yesterday.

Trump first conceived of the board to rebuild Gaza, where Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-backed ceasefire in October in a bid to halt two years of devastating war.

But he quickly raised eyebrows by sending out wide invitations, including to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to countries far removed from traditional Middle East diplomacy.

Since the board was set up, its fund -- administered by the World Bank and endorsed by the United Nations -- has received no money from donors, the source familiar with the Board of Peace told AFP.

The source said money had not been deposited because the fund was designed for the reconstruction and development phase, which has not yet been reached.

Israeli military operations in Gaza have continued despite the ceasefire, with at least 910 people killed since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Israel still retains control over 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, including all entry and exit points, while the population is concentrated on the coast.

Earlier yesterday, the Financial Times reported that the board had received donations directly into a JPMorgan account, citing the board’s spokesperson. There are no “independent transparency requirements” in place for the JPMorgan account, the FT noted.