Reuters: Hamas meets for the first time with 'Peace Board' established by Trump

2026-03-16 18:44:03 / BOTA ALFA PRESS

Reuters: Hamas meets for the first time with 'Peace Board' established

Hamas has held its first talks with the US-led Peace Board, as Gaza's post-war reconstruction plan is under pressure from the war with Iran and continued Israeli attacks on the enclave, Reuters reported.

The Peace Board — an international body formally established in mid-January as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan — includes business figures and officials from multiple countries. Critics have questioned its mandate and the lack of Palestinian political representation. The board’s activities have largely been suspended in recent weeks, as Muslim member states expressed anger over the U.S. and Israeli bombing of Iran and debated whether to remain involved.

According to Reuters, citing its sources on Monday, the meeting took place late last week at an undisclosed location in the region and focused on salvaging elements of Trump's initiative, including a long-term ceasefire and a reconstruction program overseen by the board. The talks were described as preliminary, with no concrete progress reported.

Hamas officials reportedly used the clash to demand the reopening of Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which Israel closed after airstrikes on Iran. The militant group reportedly warned that if Rafah remains closed and humanitarian access is not restored, it may withdraw from the ceasefire agreements.

Despite a formal ceasefire that ended Israel's two-year war in Gaza last October, the IDF has continued to carry out attacks. At least 12 people, including children, were reportedly killed in Sunday's attacks, bringing the death toll since the ceasefire to more than 600. The overall toll exceeds 72,000, according to the enclave's health officials.

The Gaza war erupted after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing an estimated 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage. Israel responded with a massive air and ground campaign and a blockade that severely restricted food, fuel and medical supplies, prompting accusations of genocide.

At its inaugural meeting last month, the board pledged more than $7 billion for Gaza reconstruction and promised to send thousands of personnel to international stabilization and police forces in the territory. While more than two dozen countries have officially joined, major Western powers have largely rejected full membership. Russia has not formally joined, but said it had received an invitation and was studying the proposal.