Trump's Board of Peace held talks with Dubai firm regarding Gaza rehabilitation projects

Representatives from the Board of Peace recently held discussions with Dubai firm DP World regarding potential management of supply chains and infrastructure projects for the rebuilding of Gaza, the Financial Times reported Tuesday. 

The talks with the state-owned company, discussed whether it could oversee logistics for humanitarian aid, commercial goods, and building materials for restoration of the devastated Gaza Strip, including warehousing, tracking systems and security. 

Rehabilitation of the enclave has been projected to cost at least $70 billion, due to the extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure in the strip. 

According to the Times, the discussions included other ideas, such as the construction of a new port for Gaza and the development of a free-trade zone. 

The discussions conform with previous proposals by the U.S. to privatize much of the Gaza Strip and open it to foreign investment, a plan which has been criticized by some for supposedly removing ownership from Gaza residents. 

The Financial Times claimed to have seen a draft proposal for the project, which would see the DP World venture establish a “secure and traceable supply chain system” and “port-led economic ecosystem”, combined with other light industries and “employment-generating trade platforms”. 

U.S. President Donald Trump established the Board of Peace in January, along with many other heads of state or government representatives. The body, which is intended by Trump to oversee the end of various conflicts, intends to end the Gaza war and steward the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as its first project. 

The choice of DP World, which is largely owned by the government of Dubai, represents a partnership with the United Arab Emirates, an Abraham Accords member, who has maintained friendly relations with Israel throughout the Gaza and Iran wars, while also being actively involved in bringing humanitarian aid into Gaza. 

DP World was involved in the construction of a port inn Somaliland, with whom Israel recently entered into diplomatic relations. The UAE has maintained friendly relations with Somaliland for some time. 

The choice of DP World indicates that Trump’s Board of Peace intends to demonstrate that it has Israel’s security interests in mind, partnering with a friendly entity, rather than choosing a company from Turkey or Qatar, who have also expressed interest in participating in the reconstruction of Gaza. 

The report comes as the Gaza ceasefire has failed to advance to the second phase, with Hamas repeatedly rejecting calls for its disarmament, while also accusing Israel of ceasefire violations. 

At the same time, Israel has noted that the ceasefire calls for Hamas to be disarmed, and an alternative governing body to be established, before a final withdrawal of IDF troops from the enclave. 

The uncertainty, and the continued presence of armed terror groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have caused many potential investors and contributors to hold off. 

Meanwhile, talks to disarm Hamas have also stalled in recent days, with the lead envoy for the Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov saying he is “fairly optimistic” an agreement can be reached, but admitting, the discussions about Hamas disarming are “not easy.” 

“We've had some very serious discussions with Hamas over the last few weeks, they're not easy,” Mladenov said during a recent appearance in Brussels. 

“I'm fairly optimistic that we will be able to come up with an arrangement that works for all sides and, most importantly, works for the people in Gaza.” 

Trump’s deadline for Hamas to agree to disarmament expired last week, but no progress has been made, with the group refusing to hand over its weapons to any external agency.