Palestinian Committee Holds Productive Gaza Reconstruction Talks in Cyprus

The Palestinian technocratic committee, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), said it concluded two days of “highly productive” talks in Cyprus with experts from the Board of Peace, the Office of the High Representative for Gaza (Nikolai Mladenov) and the Tony Blair Institute. The meetings focused on projects that can immediately “relieve the suffering” of Gazans and on reviewing plans for reconstruction, security and governance, while developing a framework to ensure transparency and accountability for international donors. The committee reiterated its commitment to U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20‑point plan and said further steps would be announced once the right conditions are met.

The Board of Peace was created by Trump as part of a U.S.-backed cease‑fire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council, intended to transition the Gaza Strip away from Hamas rule and restore civilian administration for over two million Palestinians. Progress has been slow: the committee has not yet entered Gaza, the official reconstruction fund administered by the World Bank has received no donor cash despite billions pledged, and the International Stabilisation Force has not been assembled. The board’s formation drew invitations to leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and was largely shunned by major European states. Under the agreed phases, Israel was to withdraw gradually and Hamas to hand over weapons, neither of which has occurred. The Gaza war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack, lasted two years until a cease‑fire in October 2025; Israel still controls more than 60 % of the strip. A joint EU‑UN assessment estimates more than $71 billion will be needed over the next decade for Gaza’s reconstruction, with the UN describing the humanitarian situation as “critical.”