Israeli army shelling, firing helicopter gunships across Gaza despite truce

Israeli forces have shelled areas in northern, central, and southern Gaza while an attack helicopter opened fire in the middle area, Al Jazeera correspondents report.

Artillery fire hit territory east of Khan Younis in the south of the Strip, as well as the Bureij camp in central Gaza, while a helicopter opened fire near Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.

Israeli shelling also struck the north, where troops carried out demolitions of residential buildings in Beit Lahiya.

At least 483 Palestinians – including 169 children and 64 women – have been killed since the ceasefire with Israel came into effect in October 2025, Gaza’s Health Ministry says.

Palestinian child, 10, killed by Israeli fire east of Deir el-Balah: Report

A 10-year-old Palestinian child has been killed by Israeli gunfire east of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Wafa news agency reports.

Quoting medical sources, it said the child was shot by Israeli forces outside their deployment areas east of the city.

Three Palestinians from same family killed in Israeli attack in central Gaza

Three Palestinians from the same family have been killed by heavy Israeli artillery fire in Deir el-Balah, a city in central Gaza, sources at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital tell Al Jazeera. The victims were a father, his son and another relative, the sources said.

Palestinian child, 13, and woman, 32, killed by Israeli fire in southern Gaza

Two more Palestinians, including a child, have been killed in Israeli attacks on war-battered Gaza.

The latest victims, a 13-year-old boy and a woman, 32, were killed by Israeli gunfire east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Al Jazeera correspondents report.

The attacks took place outside the so-called yellow line demarcating territory under Israeli military control. The killings bring Wednesday’s death toll in Gaza to five, despite the US-brokered truce.

As we reported earlier, medical sources told Al Jazeera that three Palestinians from the same family were killed by Israeli artillery in central Deir el-Balah city.

3 Palestinians wounded by Israeli fire in Gaza

Three Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli fire in attacks across Gaza, the Wafa news agency reports.

Two people were injured east of Khan Younis in the south of the Strip, while another was wounded east of the Juhor ad-Dik area, northeast of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, it said. The victims were taken to hospitals for treatment, medical sources said.

Israel’s wanted war criminal Netanyahu joins Gaza ‘board of peace’

Israel’s ‍Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ⁠has accepted an invitation from President Donald ‍Trump to join the “Board of Peace” overseeing Gaza, despite the International Criminal Court having issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest for war crimes in the territory.

The Israeli leader’s office said Netanyahu is to join the initiative, unveiled as part of phase two of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas to end Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Netanyahu’s controversial participation will add to concerns over the objectivity of the board, which Trump will lead and control its leadership makeup.

Prime Minister's Office announcement:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he accepts the invitation of US President Donald Trump and will become a member of the Board of Peace, which is to be comprised of world leaders.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 21, 2026

Palestinians see Netanyahu’s ‘board of peace’ role as ‘obstacle’ to peace plan

Palestinian officials and residents see Netanyahu’s appointment to the “board of peace” as a hurdle to peace that could help Israel delay the withdrawal of its troops in Gaza beyond the yellow line by appeasing Trump.

Although Palestinian officials have not officially responded to the Israeli leader’s acceptance of the invitation to join the board, they see Netanyahu as an obstacle to any attempt by the Trump administration to move forward on phase two of the ceasefire.

The key point, really, is the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, which is something that the Israelis are not intending to do. But can Netanyahu say “no” bluntly to Trump? We don’t think so, and that’s why he’s accepting this membership.

Whether he’s going to fulfil the duties that were presented by the Trump peace plan, that’s yet to be seen. But there’s a lot, a lot of scepticism here.

Frustration among Palestinians as Netanyahu presented as ‘peacemaker’

For Palestinians, the appointment of Benjamin Netanyahu to the “board of peace” is not just shocking but deeply offensive – he is seen by many as the mastermind of the genocide.

He is viewed as responsible for mass killings, displacement and the destruction of civilian life. From that perspective, how can someone accused of these crimes be branded a peacemaker?

The population is still burying its dead – this is impunity dressed up as diplomacy.

It raises questions about international peace mechanisms, the role of the board of peace, and how it would contribute to long-term stabilisation. There is a growing sense of frustration among families here in Gaza.

What is Trump’s Gaza ‘board of peace’?

Gaza’s “board of peace” was unveiled as part of phase two of the US-brokered ceasefire to end Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, and numerous world leaders were invited to join the body.

While it was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of post-war Gaza, its charter does not limit its role to the devastated Palestinian territory, according to reports.

Trump has expressed a desire to expand the board’s mandate to address crises and conflicts worldwide – not just Gaza – raising suspicions he hopes it could replace the United Nations, which he has repeatedly criticised as dysfunctional.

Asked by a reporter on Tuesday if the board should replace the UN, Trump replied it should continue “because the potential is so great”. However, he added his board of peace “might” take over as the UN “hasn’t been very helpful” and “has never lived up to its potential”.

Media reports said Trump intends to sign the board of peace charter on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he will deliver a speech later today. States of board members are reportedly required to pay $1bn for a permanent seat.

‘Board of peace’ makeup ‘Orwellian’ and a Trump ‘ego trip’

Those with dignity and self-respect and issues with the Trump administration, of course, refused to join, such as Macron, the French president, who said, ‘Look, we can’t join, we are disputing the whole question of the United States wanting to invade Greenland’.

And before asking Netanyahu to join, Trump asked – guess who – Russian President Vladimir Putin to join. So while Putin is bombing Ukraine, while Netanyahu is bombing Lebanon, Gaza and making incursions into Syria, he is invited to the board of peace.

So, we clearly are living today in an Orwellian world where slavery is freedom, war is peace, hunger is construction. It’s a very Trump board because he gets to choose who joins, he gets to choose the executive board, he gets to veto all kinds of decisions that are taken by the board. He gets to choose the agenda.

So this is not exactly the board of peace for Gaza. This is a Trump board that’s going to be giving him more of the kind of ego trip that he needs.

Trump says Board of Peace established to oversee reconstruction of Gaza ‘might’ replace the United Nations

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/20/politics/trump-gaza-board-of-peace-united-nations

President Donald Trump’s suggestion Tuesday that his Board of Peace “might” replace the United Nations is likely to compound concerns that the body meant to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza – and that he will indefinitely chair – will instead become a vehicle for him to attempt to supersede the body established 80 years ago to maintain global peace.

Before Trump’s comments, some diplomats already had myriad concerns over the board’s possible membership, and the fact a permanent seat is up for sale at $1 billion. They come as Trump heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and as he faces mounting anger from NATO members over his insistence that the US should own Greenland.

The White House on Friday announced a “founding Executive Board,” including Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

And according to the charter draft, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, Trump will serve as indefinite chairman of the board, which could last beyond the duration of his second term as president. Trump will be replaced only due to “voluntary resignation or as a result of incapacity, as determined by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board.” A future US president can appoint or designate the US representative to the board in addition to Trump, a US official said.

Trump has sent invitations in recent days to dozens of countries to join and is expected to host a signing ceremony in Davos this week, sources said.

Questions remain about which countries will actually join the board. Although some, such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have confirmed their participation, others have yet to commit – and some, such as France, have declined.


Russia and China invited

Russia is among the nations invited to join – raising alarm about how a country actively waging war could be involved in an effort to secure peace. China and Belarus have also been invited.

“Putin would certainly use Russia’s membership on the Board of Peace to undermine the UN and, by extension, sow further divisions in America’s alliances,” said Robert Wood, a former deputy US ambassador to the UN.

“Putin is not a man of peace, and I don’t think he belongs in any organization with peace in the name,” British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he had accepted Trump’s invitation to join the board, even though he has openly fumed at the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials on the executive board for the implementation of the 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan.

There are major concerns among some officials that the Board’s broad charter is an attempt to replace the work of the UN – an organization Trump has consistently berated. The charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza.

The charter describes the Board of Peace as “an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.”

Trump on Tuesday seemed to confirm that intention as he took a swipe at the UN, saying his board “might” replace the international body.“ The UN just hasn’t been very helpful. I’m a big fan of the UN’s potential, but it has never lived up to its potential,” Trump told reporters during a White House press briefing. “The UN should have settled every one of the wars that I settled. I never went to them, I never even thought to go to.”

Allies voice concerns

France has declined membership on the board, citing concerns that it will create a separate system to the UN.

“When you read the charter, it doesn’t only apply to Gaza, whereas the resolution that we had voted [on] … at the Security Council of the United Nations was really targeting Gaza and the Middle East,” French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told CNN. “Point two is that it raises very important concern regarding the rationality with the charter of the United Nations.”

Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said her country would give the invitation “careful consideration,” but noted that the body proposed by Trump “would have a mandate wider than the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan.”

“The United Nations has a unique mandate to maintain international peace and security, and the legitimacy to bring nations together to find common solutions to shared challenges. While it may be imperfect, the UN and the primacy of international law is more important now than ever,” she said in a statement.

$1 billion for a permanent seat

Members of the board will serve for three-year terms. If they want a permanent seat, it comes with a steep cost – a contribution of $1 billion. According to the US official, the $1 billion commitment is not an entry fee and there is no mandatory funding obligation for each country. The official said countries that “make significant contributions to projects and want to have proper oversight can stay involved.”

A US official claimed the funds will go toward rebuilding Gaza. US officials have had early discussions with contracting companies about rebuilding efforts, but none of those plans have been finalized or even sketched out, two sources familiar with the discussions said.

Miller said the fee is akin to joining Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. “I can’t imagine anyone who has any semblance of a democratic process being able to join this and overcome the legal and political obstacles of surrendering your own participation to Trump’s veto, let alone shelling out a billion bucks to go beyond a three-year membership,” he said.

Still, some countries that were not invited to join are privately expressing interest in participating – and are even considering offering to pay the steep $1 billion fee to become a part of the board, according to a source familiar with those discussions.

Azerbaijan accepts US invitation to join Gaza ‘board of peace’

Azerbaijan has accepted an invitation from Trump to become a founding member of the “board of peace”.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan accepted the said invitation and informed the US side of its intention to become a founding member state of the Peace Council,” a government statement said.

An official letter confirming Azerbaijan’s membership will be sent to Washington and “relevant measures will be taken within the framework of the required procedures,” it added.

“Azerbaijan, as always, is ready to actively contribute to international cooperation, peace and stability,” the statement said.

Egypt says it will join ‘Board of Peace’

Egypt has accepted an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the “Board of Peace”, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

“The Arab Republic of Egypt welcomes the invitation extended by US President Donald Trump to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to join the Board of Peace,” it said.

“Egypt announces its acceptance of the invitation and its commitment to fulfilling the relevant legal and constitutional procedures.”

The statement praised Trump’s role in Gaza diplomacy, saying Egypt “reiterates its appreciation for the leadership of US President Donald Trump and his commitment to ending the war in Gaza and establishing security, peace, and stability in the Middle East”.

Egypt said it supports the board of peace’s mission as part of what it described as “the second phase of the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza”.

China stresses importance of UN system over Trump’s ‘board of peace’

China says it stands by the United Nations’ central role in the international order, following a remark by Trump that his new board of peace might some day replace the organisation.

Without rejecting the idea outright, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, pushed back when asked about Trump’s comment at a news conference in Beijing today.

“No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China will stay firmly committed to safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” he said.

Trump was asked whether the board might someday replace the UN during a news conference at the White House on Tuesday. The president replied, “Well, it might.”

Beijing on Tuesday acknowledged receiving an invitation from the United States to join the board but declined to say whether it would accept when asked about it today.

Sweden will not participate in ‘board of peace’: PM

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has told reporters in Davos his country will not participate ⁠in Trump’s “board ‍of peace” initiative ⁠under the text presented ​so ‌far.

Norway and France have also said they won’t join the initiative, which was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of post-war Gaza, amid concerns Trump intends for the body to replace the UN, which he has repeatedly criticised.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday: “Yes to implementing the peace plan presented by the president of the United States, which we wholeheartedly support, but no to creating an organisation as it has been presented, which would replace the United Nations.”

The rejections have come amid soaring tensions between Washington and its European NATO partners over Trump’s stated intention to annex Greenland. As we reported earlier, Netanyahu said he accepted the invitation to join the board, which would comprise world leaders and be chaired for life by Trump.

Norway won’t participate in Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

Norway’s government says it will not join the “Board of Peace” initiated by President Trump, who has vented his frustration at the Nordic country after being snubbed for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“The American proposal raises a number of questions” requiring “further dialogue with the United States”, State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner said in a statement.

“Norway will therefore not join the proposed arrangements for the board of peace, and will therefore not attend a signing ceremony in Davos,” Thoner added.

In a message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on Monday, Trump said that, since having been denied the Nobel Peace Prize, he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of peace”.

Minister sees problems with Italy joining Trump’s ‘board of peace’

Italian ‍Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti says it appears ⁠problematic for Italy ​to join the ‍so-called board of peace promoted by ‍US President Donald ⁠Trump to govern Gaza.

Speaking at an event in Rome to present ​the ‌Winter Olympics being held in Italy next month, Giorgetti ‌said, judging ‌from news reports ⁠he read, “it seems there are some ‌problems” regarding Italy’s participation.

He didn’t elaborate.

Criticism is growing in the international community that Trump intends to use his Gaza “board of peace” to eventually replace the United Nations.

Trump's Greenland Push Ignites European Fury: American Flags Burn, Riots On Swiss Streets

U.S. President Donald Trump heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos claiming a “successful and interesting” trip ahead — even as protests erupt across Switzerland. American flags are burned, riot police deploy water cannons and rubber bullets, and demonstrators chant “Trump not welcome” in Zurich, Bern, and Davos itself. The unrest is fuelled by Trump’s escalating push to acquire Greenland, his refusal to rule out military options, and growing revelations that his stance could fracture NATO. As Trump insists Greenland is vital for U.S. and global security, European streets turn volatile, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation between power, protest, and geopolitics on the world’s most elite platform.

FULL SPEECH: Canada’s PM Carney Says US-Led World Order Is Breaking at World Economic Forum

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers a striking address at the World Economic Forum 2026, declaring the rules-based world order is breaking and U.S. dominance is fading. Carney urges middle powers to reject “living within a lie” and build a new, values-driven global order rooted in sovereignty, resilience, and realism.

UK ministers angry on Iran but scared of Israel as evident in parliament



UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and her junior minister, Hamish Falconer, have demonstrated their anger at the Iranian government for crackdown on protesters but reacted in a questionable manner when MPs drew their attention to the destruction of a UN agency’s headquarters in Jerusalem. This raises serious questions on British MPs’ conduct and their stand on protecting international law.

Which countries have agreed to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’?

Tens of countries have agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace”, while a number of European states have declined to take part. Many others have yet to respond to invitations from Washington.

The board, chaired by Trump, was initially conceived as a small group of world leaders tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. Its scope has since expanded, with the Trump administration inviting dozens of countries and suggesting the body could take on a broader role as an international conflict mediator.

Countries that have agreed to join the board so far include:

• Argentina
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Belarus
• Egypt
• Hungary
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kosovo
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Turkiye
• United Arab Emirates
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam

Which countries have declined to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’?

Several European countries have said they will not join the US-led so-called “Board of Peace” initiative, at least for now, citing concerns over its scope and its relationship with the United Nations.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris backs the US peace plan but not a new organisation, saying: “Yes to implementing the peace plan presented by the president of the United States, which we wholeheartedly support, but no to creating an organisation as it has been presented, which would replace the United Nations.”

Norway also declined the invitation, with a government official saying the proposal raises unanswered questions that require further dialogue with Washington.

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm would not sign up “as the text stands right now”.

Slovenia has taken the strongest stance so far, with Prime Minister Robert Golob warning the board’s mandate could undermine the international order based on the UN Charter.

How is Palestine reacting to the Board of Peace?

Palestinian officials are concerned that the Board of Peace will serve as a rival to the United Nations.

Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Palestine’s minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, emphasised in a meeting with the UK consulate this week that “any transitional institutional framework or body must not serve as a substitute for the United Nations.”

At the same time, the appointment of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu to the board is “not just shocking but deeply offensive” for many Palestinians, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Gaza City.

“He is viewed as responsible for mass killings, displacement and the destruction of civilian life. From that perspective, how can someone accused of these crimes be branded a peacemaker?” he said.

Palestinians say Board of Peace is ‘detached from their reality’

Categorically, people in Gaza do not measure peace by committee or boards, but by whether the bombs will stop, food enters, and children can survive the harshest nights.

By that standard, people on the ground believe the formation of the new Board of Peace feels detached from their reality.

There is a sense – that runs deep among Palestinians – that Palestinians are being discussed as a problem to be managed, not as people with rights to be completely addressed.

With those associated with the destruction of Gaza now being elevated to decision-making roles for Palestinians, they feel this strips the word “peace” from its meaning – and is a new mechanism that requires victims to trust the very system that has failed them.

Board of Peace must link Palestine’s economy to political future

There is a seat for Netanyahu, while the Palestinians are missing from this Board of Peace – even the committee that was assigned to address the day-to-day needs of the Gaza Strip.

Any name suggested by the Palestinian Authority was vetoed by Israel, so this gives an idea of the status that Palestinians have been dealing with, not just now, but for decades. International powers include an occupying military power at the helm of the decision-making committees and associations – but not the Palestinians themselves.

They’ve talked about money at the Board of Peace. But what Palestinians have been saying is yes, they need money for economic reconstruction to have some sort of better life, but the key point here isn’t the economy.

The key is linking any economic progress or assistance to the Palestinians with a political lifeline and path that leads them towards being independent from Israel’s military occupation, and that leads to having sovereignty of their lands.

US ambassador to Israel offers new details about BoP

In an interview with the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, Mike Huckabee has pushed back at rumours that participating countries would have to pay a $1bn entry fee, but said they would be expected to contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.

He also said he believed Israel would open the Rafah crossing – which connects the Gaza Strip and Egypt – “soon”. The crossing has remained closed despite the October 2025 ceasefire calling for it to open in both directions.

Israeli settlements in northern Gaza – which Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz pledged to create late last year before walking back his comments – are not part of Trump’s plan, Huckabee added.

The Rafah crossing has been opening "soon" for months while the IDF keeps moving the "yellow line" and destroying more houses in Gaza.

UK will not sign BoP, citing concerns over Russian involvement

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the UK will opt out of signing the Board of Peace in Davos today, joining a growing list of refusals that includes France, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia.

Speaking from Davos, Cooper told the BBC that she was worried about Russia’s role in formulating peace plans for other conflicts amid its war on Ukraine.

“We won’t be one of the signatories today, ​because this ‌is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, ‌and we do also ‌have concerns about ⁠President Putin being part of something which is talking ‌about peace,” Cooper said.

Concerned about Putin, but not about Trump heading the board nor Netanyahu joining?


Tony Blair is part of the board...

Who are the 7 members of the Board of Peace executive board?

The “founding executive council” – with Trump as chairman – sits at the top of the Board of Peace. Its members are: