By: Chaya Abecassis – Jewish Voice News

President Trump asserted Tuesday evening that the Gaza Strip is approaching a state of near “perfection,” delivering sweeping declarations about the region’s future just one day after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution authorizing the deployment of an international military force to secure the enclave and establishing a new temporary governing body known as the Board of Peace. According to a report that appeared on World Israel News, Trump’s remarks came during a formal White House dinner honoring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underscoring the administration’s profound expectations for Riyadh’s role in the newly created international framework.

The resolution, endorsed Monday by the Security Council, provides both a mandate for a multinational stabilization force and authorization for the Board of Peace to temporarily administer the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of years of conflict. The arrangement marks one of the most far-reaching governance initiatives adopted by the UN in the region since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in the mid-1990s. As World Israel News reported, Trump positioned the decision as the culmination of months of diplomatic maneuvering and a central pillar of what he describes as a “transformational peace deal.”

Speaking before a high-profile gathering of foreign dignitaries, senior advisers, and White House officials, Trump offered effusive praise for Saudi Arabia and extended a personal appeal to the crown prince to assume a leadership position on the Board of Peace. “I hope your Highness will be on the board,” Trump remarked directly to bin Salman, whom he described as an indispensable partner in shaping the next phase of regional diplomacy.

While the Board of Peace is currently mandated only to administer Gaza on a temporary basis, Trump indicated that its responsibilities may eventually extend far beyond the coastal enclave. According to the information provided in the World Israel News report, Trump suggested that the institution could play a global role, signaling ambitions for an expanded mission encompassing broader international oversight. “The Board of Peace will be something that has never even been thought of before,” Trump said. “It is covering Gaza, but it will end up covering large portions of the world.”

The president went on to assert that interest in joining the Board of Peace is already widespread among foreign governments. “Everybody wants to be on the board,” he said. “It’ll end up being quite a large board because it’ll be the heads of every major country.”

During his remarks, Trump emphasized that he intends to personally chair the new body, placing himself at the center of what he characterized as a historic diplomatic architecture. As World Israel News noted, the White House did not immediately elaborate on how such an expansion of the Board’s role would function under international law or which countries expressed interest in membership.

Turning to the humanitarian and security situation on the ground, Trump described what he portrayed as significant improvements since the UN vote, asserting that residents in portions of northern Gaza — an area long ravaged by conflict — have begun to return to their homes. “The residents of Gaza… have begun to move back to their homes, and a lot more safety, they said today — a lot more safety than they’ve ever had before,” Trump declared, citing conversations with officials monitoring the situation.

As World Israel News reported, Trump argued that the enclave was experiencing “the highest degree of security ever,” though Israeli assessments continue to indicate that Hamas retains de-facto control over significant areas of the Strip. Despite acknowledging the destruction that has occurred, Trump insisted that conditions were approaching “perfection.”

“Gaza, while it looks a little bit messy — it has for many, many years, I will tell you, many decades — but it is getting very close to being perfected,” he continued. “People are shocked. Even the great experts…they are all saying that what is taking place in the Middle East is a miracle.”

The president attributed these developments to the implementation of what he termed the “transformational peace deal,” the comprehensive diplomatic package that followed the October ceasefire arrangement reached earlier in the fall. According to the report at World Israel News, the ceasefire — brokered through U.S. mediation with regional partners — facilitated the release of hostages held by Hamas and established the foundation for the UN-mandated transitional authority.

Trump also highlighted the release of 45 of the 48 hostages remaining in Gaza at the time of the October ceasefire. He incorrectly stated that two of the final three remaining hostages were deceased, though Israeli officials have confirmed that three bodies are yet to be recovered. “A lot of work has been done by Hamas,” Trump said, adding that “a lot of people said they wouldn’t be doing that.”

Trump’s public remarks on the role of Hamas in the release of hostages aligned with earlier reporting by World Israel News, which noted that U.S. officials have maintained open-channel messaging through mediators in Doha, Cairo, and Ankara. However, the suggestion that Hamas is cooperating broadly with international efforts drew immediate scrutiny from some observers, given the group’s longstanding rejection of international oversight.

The president noted that senior U.S. officials, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, had been engaged in a series of negotiations intended to build on the ceasefire and integrate international stakeholders into the new governance structure. Witkoff previously met with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya in Sharm el-Sheikh in October, alongside Jared Kushner, during efforts to accelerate hostage release agreements.

The White House has not confirmed any new timeline for follow-up meetings, though the presence of the Saudi crown prince at the dinner event further signaled Riyadh’s emerging role in the administration’s vision for post-conflict Gaza. According to the information contained in the World Israel News report, Saudi Arabia’s potential participation — particularly in a leadership position — would mark a dramatic shift in regional alignment and deepen the kingdom’s involvement in a peace framework that remains contentious among other Arab states and Palestinian factions.

Trump’s remarks also come against the backdrop of significant upheaval within the Gaza Strip itself. While the administration presented an optimistic portrait of security improvements, the World Israel News report noted that Israel continues to conduct operations against Hamas command centers and weapons caches, reflecting a military reality that diverges sharply from the president’s characterization of the situation as stabilizing.

International reaction to Trump’s statements remained muted in the immediate aftermath of the dinner. UN officials confirmed that planning for the multinational stabilization force is underway, though no deployment timeline has been finalized. Member states have yet to publicly identify which countries will contribute troops or logistical support to the mission.

Within Israel there is a mix of skepticism and cautious interest among analysts evaluating the feasibility of the Board of Peace and the durability of the ceasefire arrangements. Israeli officials have consistently warned that any structure that enables Hamas to retain influence within Gaza — directly or indirectly — risks undermining long-term security.

As Trump concluded his remarks, he reiterated that the region was undergoing what he described as a “miraculous transformation” driven by the confluence of diplomatic support, U.S. leadership, and Saudi involvement. “A lot of progress has been made with respect to Gaza and just about everything else that we’ve touched,” he said.

For now, the international community awaits further details on how the Board of Peace will operate, how its leadership will be structured, and how the UN-mandated stabilization force will address the continuing presence of Hamas across the Strip. According to the report at World Israel News, the coming weeks will determine whether the president’s ambitious framing aligns with the complex and evolving realities on the ground.