US President Donald Trump has said that there are prospects for “a real peace in the Middle East.”
When asked by a reporter at the White House about reports that he was planning to appoint an American two-star general to command the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, Trump said Thursday: “We actually do have a real peace in the Middle East ... it’s never happened before and I think it’s very strong actually.”
The ceasefire, in effect since October 10, halted the war but it remains fragile as Israel and Hamas accuse each other almost daily of violations.
The agreement is composed of three phases. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently indicated that he expected the second phase to begin soon.
That phase involves the Israeli army pulling farther back, the ISF deploying to Gaza, and a new governing structure coming into force, including the Trump-led Board of Peace.
Trump told reporters Wednesday that he's planning to announce the Gaza Board of Peace in early 2026.
Gaza’s population of around 2 million is almost entirely displaced, and most people live in vast tent camps stretching along the coast, or set up among the shells of damaged buildings.