Palestinian Authority, Board of Peace discuss accelerating Gaza recovery efforts

The Palestinian Authority and the Board of Peace have discussed mechanisms to accelerate the delivery of basic services to the Gaza Strip and advance relief and early recovery efforts ahead of the enclave's reconstruction phase.

A Wednesday statement by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) said the discussions took place during a meeting of their joint coordination office on the sidelines of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) donor meeting in Brussels on Monday.

The meeting was attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza Nikolay Mladenov, and NCAG chief Ali Shaath. Also present were the committee's finance commissioner Bashir Al-Rayyis, Palestinian Finance and Planning Minister Estephan Anton Salameh, and Prime Minister's adviser Omar Awadallah.

According to the statement, the participants reviewed ways to strengthen coordination between Palestinian and international partners and accelerate initiatives aimed at restoring basic services, expanding humanitarian assistance and supporting early recovery in Gaza.

The officials stressed the need for closer coordination among national, regional and international stakeholders to ensure a sustainable response to the needs of Gaza's population.

Shaath said NCAG was ready immediately to assume its responsibilities, urging the international community to translate political and financial pledges into concrete action and effective funding to meet the humanitarian and development needs of around 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza.

During the donor meeting, Shaath presented a comprehensive recovery program for the enclave, outlining a transition from emergency relief to early recovery and the restoration of essential public services.

Participants also announced the launch of the “Gaza Team” initiative, bringing together more than 12 donor countries alongside the European Investment Bank and the World Bank to mobilize around $1 billion in support of Gaza's recovery program.

The NCAG, a transitional technocratic body established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and the 20-point peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, held its inaugural meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 15, 2026.

The first phase of Trump’s plan included a ceasefire, a partial Israeli withdrawal, the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the entry of 600 aid trucks.

While Hamas fulfilled its obligations in the first phase by releasing the Israeli prisoners, Israel reneged on its humanitarian commitments and continued its attacks, killing 1,123 Palestinians and injuring 3,616 others since Oct. 10, 2025.

The second phase involves a broader Israeli military withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, of which it still occupies more than 70%, and the start of reconstruction efforts in exchange for the disarmament of Palestinian factions. However, Israel has not implemented this phase, insisting on prioritizing disarmament.

Gaza has suffered widespread devastation as a result of Israel’s two-year offensive, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, wounded over 173,000, and destroyed 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure since October 2023.