The Israeli government has denied the establishment of a new structure by the U.S. administration to manage the Gaza Strip, stating that this decision was not coordinated with the Israeli side and contradicts the country's official position. The relevant statement was published on January 17 on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's social media page.
According to The Times of Israel, this statement was prompted by the participation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in one of the bodies provided for in the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for Gaza. Hakan Fidan has previously criticized Israel's policy in the region multiple times.
Recently, the White House presented the composition of the international "Peace Council" for Gaza, which will be headed by Donald Trump himself. The council also includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Presidential Envoy Stephen Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, businessman Mark Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel.
Additionally, the White House announced the establishment of an Executive Council to implement the "Peace Council" concept, in which Bulgarian diplomat Nikolai Mladenov will play a key role. He will connect the "Peace Council" and the National Committee for the Management of the Gaza Strip (NCAG) provided for in Trump's plan.
According to the White House, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is also part of the Executive Council. He will work alongside Stephen Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, Mark Rowan, Qatari diplomat Ali al-Tawadi, Cypriot-Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay, UAE Minister of International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy, and other participants.
The National Committee for the Management of the Gaza Strip will be headed by Ali Shaas, who previously held high positions in the Palestinian National Authority. The committee will focus on restoring civil institutions and improving daily life in Gaza.
An anonymous senior U.S. official told Axios that the "Peace Council" is an initiative of Washington and is being created without coordination with Netanyahu.
According to the source, "The Peace Council is our show, not his. We have achieved what many thought was impossible, and we will continue to move forward."
He also added that the White House did not consult with the Israeli Prime Minister, as he "has no say" in this matter.
The conflict in the Middle East escalated on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel. According to Israeli authorities, around 1,200 people were killed in the attack, and about 250 were taken hostage and transported to the Gaza Strip.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and began military operations. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, around 71,000 people have died and more than 169,000 have been injured during the fighting in Gaza. However, the organization does not specify how many of the deceased were militants.
In October 2025, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement and approved the peace plan of the Trump administration. The guarantors of the agreements were the U.S., Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt. In mid-January, the White House announced the start of the second phase of the plan, during which the "Peace Council" and the National Committee for the Management of Gaza were established.
