A U.N. vehicle escorts ambulances and a bus carrying Palestinian patients in Khan Younis as they travel to the Rafah crossing to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment abroad, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas enters phase two, many are equally surprised it has held this long and dubious that it will continue. At the heart of those doubts are questions about the Board of Peace, which is meant to oversee much of this transition.
Why it matters
Rebuilding Gaza will take an enormous commitment from the nations that have pledged to help. Anything that leaves room for Hamas to regroup and eventually retake power—or for a group equally committed to Israel’s destruction, even if it comes at the expense of the people in Gaza—could result in even worse warfare than before. This peace needs to last, and it remains to be seen if it can.
The backstory: How we got to phase two and what to look for going forward
Last October, both Israel and Hamas agreed to a 20-point plan that would start with a cease-fire with the hopes that lasting peace could be achieved by the end of it. The first phase of that plan called for Hamas to return all living and dead Israeli hostages, while Israel would release 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. As of last week, the body of the final hostage was returned to Israel.
While both sides have continued to kill one another at various times over the last three months, overall, the violence has lessened to a tremendous degree. Moreover, the UN reports of starvation that proliferated last year have subsided, with 100 percent of Gazans now having their basic food needs met. And the Rafah Crossing from Gaza to Egypt is now open once again, paving the way for an estimated 18,500 people—including 4,000 children—in need of medical care to receive it.
However, phase one was always going to be the more straightforward part of the deal. Now comes the really tricky part.
You see, phase two is where most expect that the cease-fire will fall apart. Israel now has the reward they valued the most—the return of all hostages. Meanwhile, Hamas will now be expected to fully step back from governance and disarm—the requirement they have never fully agreed to live up to.
In place of Hamas, a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) will pick up the mantle of governance. Ali Shaath has been tapped to lead this group of fifteen Palestinian technocrats as they attempt to guide the rebuilding of the region. A “Gaza Executive Board,” comprised of leaders from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and the UN, will help to supplement their efforts.
And above them all stands the Board of Peace that President Trump announced at the World Economic Forum last month. Yet, the Board has quickly become the most controversial element of the situation in Gaza, despite the presence of an armed terrorist organization in Hamas and Israel’s continued bombings.
So what is it about the Board that is so controversial? And will it ultimately prove to be more of a help or a hindrance on the path to peace in Gaza?
Has the Board of Peace already lost its vision?
The controversy surrounding the Board of Peace centers primarily on two points: the scope of their mission and who was invited. Let’s start with the mission.
When the Board was first proposed, the idea was that it would serve as an international body of countries committed to supporting Gaza’s reconstruction and development. Most would agree that the scope and scale of that project is far more than any one country could handle. For example, clearing the rubble is projected to take at least three years, so simply making the bulk of Gaza safe for the people of Gaza is a big ask to start with.
That’s why many of the Board’s skeptics were quick to point toward mission creep after President Trump presented his plans for the endeavor at the World Economic Forum. There, he announced that the group would instead seek “to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict” (emphasis added). “Areas affected or threatened by conflict” pertains to a lot more than just Gaza.
While Secretary of State Marco Rubio later clarified that Gaza will “serve as an example of what’s possible in other parts of the world,” that only works if the group can stay committed long enough to actually finish their work in Gaza.
Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that the first term on the Board will start with a three-year interval unless countries choose to pay $1 billion for permanent membership. Essentially, if you want to still be around when the time comes to profit from much of what is being rebuilt, you need to pay up and prove your commitment from the start.
And, given some of the nations that have signed up to do just that, many are dubious of what those efforts will look like in the long run.
Can the Board of Peace be trusted?
The second point of contention many bring up with the Board of Peace and its plans for the future of Gaza is related to the group’s composition. Many of America’s more traditional allies in Europe—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to name a few—have declined their invitation to join.
Instead, the Board will be composed largely of the Middle Eastern nations with whom Trump has negotiated heavily since returning to office. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the UAE, and Israel have all agreed to play a role. Meanwhile, Russia and China have been invited but, as of this writing, have yet to say whether they will take part.
Given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and China’s ever-present threat of attempting to take Taiwan, inviting them to a group focused on “enduring peace” has understandably raised some eyebrows. That Trump is set to preside over the body even after his term as president ends in 2028 is another point of suspicion for many who doubt that the Board was put together with the good of Gaza in mind.
And the reality of the situation is that the good of Gaza is, most likely, not the Board’s first priority. As Dan Perry points out, though, that may not be a bad thing:
Trump is also driven by a sense of ownership. He remains focused when a project feels like his, and the Middle East is such a project. If the Board of Peace appears to be key to sustaining his sense of ownership — and if it keeps pressure on regional actors, maintaining momentum toward dismantling Hamas’ grip on Gaza — then it may be useful, even if its structure is indefensible.
And Trump is hardly alone in paying more attention to causes from which he can benefit personally. The peace plan in Gaza hinges on everyone involved standing to benefit in some way.
World leaders have rarely—if ever—acted solely out of the goodness of their own hearts. Some opportunity for selfish gain has to be baked into the equation for nations and leaders to sacrifice as much as they’ll need to for Gaza to know true peace and restoration.
Would it be better if these leaders’ primary concern were the people of Gaza? Absolutely. But it also wouldn’t work.
As such, the situation in Gaza and with the Board of Peace speaks to a much larger truth about humanity, as well as the opportunity that truth presents for us to share the gospel.
Spiritual application: Redeeming human selfishness
Milton Friedman once remarked:
I do not believe that the solution to our problem is simply to elect the right people. The important thing is to establish a political climate of opinion which will make it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing. Unless it is politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing, the right people will not do the right thing either, or if they try, they will shortly be out of office.
To put it another way, the temptation toward selfishness is endemic to our fallen nature, and the key is learning to redeem it. In truth, though, it’s been that way from the beginning.
The very first person ever born with inherited sin murdered his brother because he was jealous that God honored Abel’s sacrifice rather than his own. And things didn’t exactly improve from there. Before Adam died, he would see his offspring spread across the land and begin to devolve into such wickedness that God would purge the earth of everyone but Noah and his family.
And even after humanity restarted with Noah, it didn’t take long for things to go downhill once again. However, living in accordance with Christ’s commands stands out all that much more because the world has taught us to expect selfishness and evil from our fellow humans.
And you don’t have to be a politician or world leader for that to be the case. There are selfish people in every walk of life, which means that your example can stand out regardless of where God has called you to work, the community in which he’s called you to live, or even the church in which he’s called you to serve.
Each time we see examples of selfishness or evil in the world, it’s an opportunity to either grow jaded and distraught or to be reminded of just how easy it can be for the gospel to stand out when we follow Jesus well.
Which response will you choose today?
News worth knowing
1. US forces shoot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln
US Central Command reported earlier this afternoon that a Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was nearing the USS Abraham Lincoln. Central Command said the drone “aggressively approached” the carrier, which is currently operating 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast.
Why it matters
Iran’s Shahed drones, like the one shot down today, are used by Iran for surveillance and attack missions. They have featured heavily in Russia’s assault on Ukraine, and are likely to be among the primary weapons the regime would use against American forces in the event of an attack. As of this writing, no further attacks have been reported, though Iran has also not yet responded to the drone being shot down.
What to watch
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was tentatively scheduled to hold discussions later this week with mediators to seek a diplomatic solution to the situation in Iran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier today that those talks were still happening, though it remains to be seen if the US or Iran decides to walk away. If those negotiations don’t occur, will the next steps be an outright attack? If so, which side will start it?
Newsweek has more on the story
2. House passes bill to re-open the government (for now)
The House of Representatives passed a bill to fund most of the government until September by a vote of 217-214. The lone exception was the Department of Homeland Security, which received temporary funding for another ten days as representatives continue to discuss changes to the operation of ICE and Border Patrol.
Why it matters
Funding for ICE is largely in place, as last summer’s tax bill allotted the agency roughly $75 billion. As such, funding for FEMA, the Coast Guard, and other entities under the DHS umbrella was primarily at stake. The partisan nature of the vote, however, portends a difficult path ahead as negotiations will have to happen quickly to avoid another shutdown.
What to watch
Several representatives suspect that the divide between the reforms Democrats want and Republicans’ resistance to many of those changes will be too much to resolve in the next week and a half. As such, another stopgap measure is possible, though that does not appear to be the first choice for anyone involved. Will more time removed from the shooting of Alex Pretti allow for tensions around reforms to subside? Or would further violence pressure Republicans to accept the changes they currently oppose?
NBC News has more on the story
3. A landmark case that could change transgender care
Fox Varian was born female and began identifying as male at the age of fifteen. She had a double mastectomy at sixteen, only to begin the process of detransitioning three years later. In May 2023, she filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against her longtime psychologist and the doctor who performed her surgery, alleging they deviated from standard practices and lacked informed consent. On Friday, the courts ruled in her favor and awarded her $2 million.
Why it matters
While Varian’s story is hardly unique among those who struggle with gender identity, she is the first to win in court against those who guided her down that path. Legal experts believe her victory could lead to a wave of similar suits from others who came to regret the decision to transition.
What to watch
If more cases like Varian’s go against the doctors who pushed transgender procedures, it could dramatically alter the way in which gender identity issues are addressed. Will fewer doctors be willing to perform such surgeries? Will psychologists and therapists be more careful in making their initial diagnoses? Most importantly, will those struggling with gender dysphoria or the other psychological conditions that often accompany it be more likely to find the help they need?
The Free Press has more on the story
God is good
Jelly Roll, the country music and Christian artist, is a changed man in more ways than one. Since his 2024 nomination for best new artist, he has lost nearly 300 pounds and has been outspoken about giving Jesus credit every step of the way. After winning the Grammy for best contemporary country album this year—one of three wins on the night—he started by pointing to Jesus before thanking his wife for her love and support. He then spent the rest of his speech telling the crowd, “Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by a music label. Jesus is Jesus, and anybody can have a relationship with him. I love you, Lord!”
Kingdom impact
Public figures giving God the credit for their success is always nice to see, but if you watch the video of Jelly Roll’s speech—which you should definitely take a minute to do—the authenticity of his faith really stood out. Moreover, the crowd’s response during a night when so many of the other speeches took a very different tone served as a good reminder of the gospel’s power to cut through the issues that divide us.
Prayer point
Will you pray that Jelly Roll continues to serve the Lord and that the authenticity of his faith would inspire others to do the same?
USA Today has more on the story
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