Billions of dollars pledged for Gaza's reconstruction remain untransferred months after commitments were made, leaving the Trump administration's Board of Peace unable to operate effectively and Palestinian communities waiting for desperately needed relief, according to a report submitted to the UN Security Council.
U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace for the Gaza Strip admits it cannot properly operate its institutions due to a lack of funding. In a semi-annual report submitted late last week to the UN Security Council and obtained by Haaretz, the Board of Peace said it has not received part of the funding promised to it upon its establishment in February from a number of countries, primarily the United States and Gulf states.
Reconstruction Promises Unfulfilled
In a report submitted to the UN Security Council, the Board of Peace noted it is awaiting a significant portion of $17 billion promised by the U.S. and Gulf states for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The report said promised funding for the Gaza reconstruction effort has not been transferred to the relevant authorities.
The funding shortfall comes as Gaza's population continues to face severe humanitarian conditions following years of conflict and blockade. The failure to deliver on reconstruction commitments leaves families without adequate housing, children without functioning schools, and communities without basic infrastructure necessary for economic recovery and normal life.
Institutional Paralysis
The Board of Peace's admission that it cannot properly operate its institutions due to funding gaps raises serious questions about the viability of reconstruction efforts and the credibility of international commitments to Palestinian recovery. Without operational capacity, the Board cannot coordinate rebuilding efforts, distribute aid effectively, or implement the programs it was established to oversee when created in February.
The reliance on promised but undelivered funds from the United States and Gulf states highlights the vulnerability of reconstruction efforts to political calculations and donor fatigue. For Palestinian families, the gap between pledges made at international conferences and actual resources transferred to the ground means continued deprivation and delayed recovery.
Accountability Gap
The UN Security Council report provides rare transparency into the mechanics of international aid commitments, revealing the disconnect between high-profile announcements and the reality of fund transfers. The significant portion of the $17 billion that remains unpaid represents not just a budgetary shortfall but a broken promise to one of the world's most vulnerable populations.
The Board of Peace's candid acknowledgment of its operational difficulties underscores the challenges facing any reconstruction effort that depends on voluntary contributions from governments pursuing competing strategic interests in the Middle East. Without mechanisms to ensure donor follow-through, pledges risk becoming political theater rather than meaningful assistance.
Why This Matters:
The failure to transfer billions in promised reconstruction funds to Gaza represents more than bureaucratic delay—it directly affects the lives of two million Palestinians living in one of the world's most densely populated and economically distressed areas. When international institutions cannot operate due to funding gaps, families remain displaced, economic recovery stalls, and the cycle of humanitarian crisis continues. The credibility of future international commitments depends on whether donors honor existing pledges. For Gaza's population, particularly children growing up amid rubble and deprivation, unfulfilled promises translate into years of lost opportunity, continued trauma, and diminished prospects. The gap between rhetoric and resource transfer reflects broader questions about accountability in international aid and whether vulnerable populations can rely on the commitments made in their name.