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However, the announcement that sparked the strongest reaction in Jerusalem involved the inclusion of foreign representatives from Turkey and Qatar. The White House confirmed that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and senior Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi would serve on the Gaza Executive Board, working with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to “support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza.”
That decision immediately triggered criticism from Netanyahu, who has long accused both Turkey and Qatar of backing Hamas either directly or indirectly.
Per the New York Post:
President Trump’s Gaza governance plan sparked backlash in Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the makeup of the body, which includes Turkey and Qatar, contradicts Israeli policy — even as reports from said the lineup had, in fact, been approved.
Netanyahu’s office followed up with a formal statement on Saturday, making clear that Israel intends to challenge the composition of the board at the highest levels of the Trump administration.
“The announcement by the US administration regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy,” Netanyahu’s office said in the statement, adding that the prime minister had ordered Sa’ar to raise Israel’s objections directly with Rubio.
The statement underscores Israel’s core objection: the involvement of countries it believes have enabled Hamas’ continued influence in Gaza. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Turkey and Qatar of providing political, financial, or logistical support to the terrorist organization, making their inclusion in a post-war governance structure deeply controversial inside Israel.
Despite the strong rhetoric, some reports suggest Netanyahu’s opposition may be more performative than substantive. Israeli media outlets have claimed that the prime minister’s criticism is aimed at maintaining political appearances amid pressure from hardline members of his governing coalition.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has called for a dramatic escalation in Gaza, openly rejecting any international governance framework that stops short of total military victory over Hamas.
“The Gaza Strip does not need any ‘executive board’ to oversee its ‘rehabilitation’ — it needs to be cleared of Hamas terrorists, who must be eliminated, alongside the encouragement of large-scale voluntary emigration — in accordance with President Trump’s original plan,” Ben Gvir said.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed similar sentiments, dismissing the board as a creation of nations he claims empowered Hamas in the first place.
These internal Israeli divisions highlight the delicate political balancing act Netanyahu faces as Trump advances an ambitious plan that blends diplomacy, economic reconstruction, and international oversight. While Trump’s original Gaza proposal emphasized decisive action against Hamas, the current phase appears to lean more heavily on governance and rebuilding — a shift that has unsettled Israel’s hardliners.
The White House, for its part, is pressing ahead. In a statement released after the backlash, officials made clear that the board is still evolving.
“Additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks,” a statement from the White Hosue reads.
Whether Netanyahu’s objections will result in changes to the board’s composition remains unclear. What is clear is that Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan has entered a politically sensitive stage, testing alliances, exposing fractures within Israel’s leadership, and signaling that the administration intends to chart its own course — even when that course provokes pushback from close allies.
