By Desmond Nleya, Daily Times
Israeli forces have killed at least 11 Palestinians in fresh strikes across the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources, as United States President Donald Trump announced that his newly formed Board of Peace has secured $5 billion in pledges aimed at rebuilding the devastated enclave.
The fatalities, reported on Sunday, come amid ongoing tensions surrounding a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10. Hospital officials told Al Jazeera that Israeli strikes hit tents sheltering displaced families in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least five people. A further five were reported killed in attacks in Khan Younis in the south.
Sources in Gaza also said that Sami al-Dahdouh, identified as a commander in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, was killed in a strike on the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood east of Gaza City.
Hazem Qassem, a spokesperson for Hamas, condemned the attacks as a “new massacre” and described them as a deliberate escalation aimed at undermining ceasefire efforts. He accused Israel of attempting to impose a new reality on the ground despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to sustain calm.
Gaza authorities say that since the ceasefire began, at least 601 Palestinians have been killed and 1,607 wounded. The Government Media Office in Gaza alleges that Israel has committed more than 1,620 violations of the agreement between October 10, 2025 and February 10, 2026. Israel, for its part, accuses Hamas of breaching the truce and says four of its soldiers have been killed during the same period.
The renewed violence comes as Donald Trump announced that the first meeting of his newly created Board of Peace will be held on Thursday in Washington, DC. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said members of the 20-person board have pledged more than $5 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction and committed thousands of personnel to an International Stabilization Force and local policing efforts to maintain security.
The US has reportedly asked participating countries to contribute $1 billion each to join the initiative. According to reports cited by Al Jazeera, the United Arab Emirates is believed to be the first country to make the pledge, with Kuwait also expected to participate. The identities of other potential contributors have not been publicly disclosed.
The initiative appears to signal a broader US effort to shape post-war governance and reconstruction in Gaza, potentially bypassing the United Nations framework. Some key US allies have reportedly declined to join the board.
Trump also reiterated his call for Hamas to commit to “full and immediate demilitarization”. In response, Qassem urged the Board of Peace to pressure Israel to halt what he described as continued violations of the ceasefire and to ensure the agreement is implemented without delay.
Source: Aljazeera
