The Palestinian body designated to oversee Gaza’s future administration under a US-backed ceasefire framework has issued what it describes as a “mission statement”, outlining its objectives and priorities for governing the besieged enclave.
Ali Shaath, general commissioner of the National Committee for Gaza Management (NGAC), said the technocratic authority aims to restore essential services and help foster a society “grounded in peace”. Speaking in a written statement, Shaath said that, “under the guidance of the Board of Peace, chaired by United States President Donald J Trump, and with the support of the High Representative for Gaza, our mission is to rebuild the Gaza Strip not only its physical infrastructure, but also its social and moral foundations.”
The NGAC was created as part of Trump’s 20-point peace proposal for Gaza and was authorised under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803. According to the White House, the committee will take responsibility for the enclave’s day-to-day stabilisation and reconstruction efforts, while also “laying the groundwork for long-term, self-sustaining governance”.
Under the US proposal, Gaza’s reconstruction would fall under the broad supervision of a so-called “board of peace”, while operational decisions would be directed by a smaller “Gaza executive board”.
The NGAC faces daunting obstacles. Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble following more than two years of what Palestinians describe as Israel’s genocidal war, and significant scepticism remains among Palestinians regarding how much authority and independence the committee will actually possess.
Those doubts have been deepened by the composition of the board of peace and the Gaza executive board, which include prominent supporters of Israel and, so far, relatively few Palestinian representatives. In his remarks, Shaath a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority (PA) — said the committee’s immediate priorities include establishing security across the Strip, more than half of which remains under direct Israeli military control, and restoring basic services devastated during the conflict.
“We are committed to ensuring security and rebuilding the essential services that underpin human dignity, including electricity, water, healthcare and education,” Shaath said. “At the same time, we seek to nurture a society founded on peace, democracy and justice.”
He added that the NGAC would operate “with the highest levels of transparency and integrity” and aim to build a functioning economy capable of transforming widespread unemployment into meaningful opportunities.
Despite an existing ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, Israel has continued to impose severe restrictions on the flow of aid into Gaza a policy UN agencies and humanitarian organisations say has severely hampered the delivery of basic services to the population.
Israeli military strikes have also continued during the ceasefire period, killing hundreds of Palestinians and pushing the overall death toll in Gaza to 71,548 since October 7, 2023.
The board of peace was unveiled as part of the second phase of the ceasefire deal. However, invitation letters sent by Trump to foreign leaders have suggested that the US president may view the body as a potential alternative to traditional multilateral institutions such as the United Nations.
In mid-December, Israel announced it would prohibit more than three dozen international aid organisations from operating inside Gaza, further complicating humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.
Among Palestinians, there are also concerns that the NGAC’s technocratic framework could sidestep fundamental political issues including the establishment of a Palestinian state and an end to Israel’s decades-long occupation in favour of an approach focused primarily on economic development and foreign investment.
Addressing those fears, Shaath said the committee would “embrace peace” as a means of securing “the path toward genuine Palestinian rights and self-determination”.
