US President Donald Trump joins leaders during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, DC on Thursday.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has issued a firm rebuke to the convening of Gaza`s so-called Board of Peace in the United States.

in a statement issued on Thursday, Hamas affirmed that any political path or arrangements regarding Gaza must be based on a complete halt to Israeli aggression.

The resistance movement also reaffirmed the need to lift the siege of Gaza and guarantee Palestinians` right to freedom and self-determination.

Hamas criticized the session`s convening amid the ongoing Israeli crimes in the war-torn territory.

"The convening of this session, amid the ongoing crimes of the occupation and its continuous violations of the ceasefire agreement, obligates the international community and the parties participating in the Board to take practical steps that compel the occupation to halt its aggression, open the crossings, allow the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid, and immediately start the reconstruction," Hamas said.

The resistance movement called on mediators to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and prevent Israel from obstructing the deal.

Hamas warned that any genuine international effort to achieve stability in Gaza must address the root cause of the problem-the Israeli occupation-and enable Palestinians to attain their complete rights.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump chaired the inaugural meeting of his so-called "Board of Peace" in Washington, DC, at the United States Institute of Peace.

The gathering focused primarily on advancing the next phase of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, post-war reconstruction, and related elements of Trump`s broader 20-point peace plan for the region.

Member nations committed over $7 billion toward Gaza relief and reconstruction, with Trump announcing an additional $10 billion contribution from the United States. Participating countries were credited for these pledges.

Some countries pledged troops for a proposed International Stabilization Force for Gaza.

Demonstrators denounce Washington`s role

Outside Trump`s so-called "Board of Peace" meeting, demonstrators gathered to denounce Washington`s role in enabling the genocide in Gaza.

Many protesters shouted Free Palestine, demanding an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestine. They also called for an end to US complicity in the genocide in Gaza and the punishment of Israeli war criminals.

At one point, individuals wearing masks depicting Trump, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were pushed to the ground and detained by police.

The "Board of Peace" was formally launched by Trump at a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, 2026.

Trump has described it as an initiative aimed at stabilizing and rebuilding Gaza following the ceasefire that took effect as part of his plan in October 2025.

The board is chaired by Trump and includes key members such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump`s special envoy Steve Witkoff, the US president`s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair.

Many goals outlined in Trump`s 20-point plan have not fully materialized on the ground.

Phase one was intended to immediately halt fighting, facilitate the exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, establish boundaries for Israeli withdrawal from parts of Gaza, enable unrestricted humanitarian aid entry, and reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Although the daily intensity of Israeli attacks has decreased since the ceasefire began, the Israeli military has killed more than 600 Palestinians and injured over 1,600 others since the conclusion of the ceasefire, averaging nearly five deaths per day, according to Palestinian officials.