On February 19, Washington hosted the inaugural meeting of the Peace Council, a new initiative established and chaired by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The event took place at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), which was renamed in December 2025 in honor of Trump’s legacy as "the greatest negotiator" in the country’s history, according to RBC.
The meeting was reportedly attended by leaders from over 40 countries, either signatories to the council’s charter or observers. The discussions lasted for about three hours.
At the start of the meeting, Trump announced that nine countries—Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait—had agreed to contribute $7 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza. The U.S., meanwhile, pledged $10 billion to the Peace Council’s efforts, though Trump had previously mentioned a $5 billion contribution. The exact allocation of the funds was not detailed, but the UN estimates that Gaza’s reconstruction needs could total around $70 billion.
A key outcome of the meeting was the announcement of the formation of "International Stabilization Forces" (ISF), which will be tasked with maintaining order in Gaza. According to Trump, Indonesia, Morocco, Albania, Kosovo, and Kazakhstan will send their military and police personnel to help stabilize the region. Later, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed Turkey’s readiness to join the mission, despite objections from Israel regarding the deployment of Turkish troops in the Palestinian enclave.
The ISF will be led by U.S. Major-General Jasper Jeffers and will comprise 20,000 military personnel and 12,000 police officers. Indonesia is set to send up to 8,000 troops, as confirmed by President Prabowo Subianto.
In line with the U.S. peace plan, the ISF will support the training and assistance of Palestinian police forces in Gaza and ensure security in border areas in cooperation with Israel and Egypt. The plan also calls for the phased transfer of control from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which currently controls over 53% of Gaza, to international forces. Jeffers clarified that the mission will begin in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza that borders Egypt.
During the Peace Council meeting, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed establishing a special award named after President Donald Trump, recognizing his efforts to strengthen peace. “I would like to propose creating a Peace Council award in President Trump’s name, in acknowledgment of his outstanding contributions to peacebuilding. I am confident that under his leadership, the Peace Council will successfully fulfill its noble mission,” said Tokayev.
Tokayev emphasized that the Peace Council aligns with new global realities, promoting multilateral efforts through practical actions rather than endless conferences and resolutions based on goodwill. He added, "Donald Trump’s clear vision and his forward-thinking approach to global peace and stability inspired Kazakhstan to join the council, fully sharing the belief in the need for concrete action."
This first meeting of the Peace Council marked a significant step toward international collaboration on the Gaza crisis and broader peacebuilding efforts, with Kazakhstan playing a key role in supporting the initiative.
