US President Donald Trump outlined a bright future for Gaza at the inaugural meeting of his "Board of Peace", promising billions of dollars and thousands of troops were on the way and insisting the war had ended apart from "little flames".
Mr Trump also said the US would contribute $US10 billion ($14.2 billion) to the peace board, but it was unclear where the money – which would likely require approval from Congress – would come from.
"The war in Gaza is over," Mr Trump said, making no mention of ongoing Israeli bombing, including air strikes that rescuers say killed 11 people on Sunday.
"There are little flames. Little flames."
The peace board was established to "set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza" as part of the Trump administration's 20-point peace plan, unveiled last September.
But Mr Trump has since said the board's scope will go beyond Gaza.
"All of these countries are working together around the vision of a Middle East that is free from the curse of extremism and terror, and now is time," Mr Trump told the meeting in Washington DC.
"The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built, starting right here in this room."
The meeting was held a day after the State of Palestine's UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, told the UN Security Council: "There is no peace anywhere, anytime."
Mr Mansour said Mr Trump's peace plan was welcome and that a ceasefire officially in place since October had saved lives.
"But the agony of the Palestinian people is very far from over," he said.
"Israel does not want a ceasefire. Its goals remain occupation, annexation and forcible displacement."
Gaza's health ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the start of the ceasefire. Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and says it is targeting Hamas commanders and sites.
No Palestinian representation
More than 40 countries, plus the European Union, were represented at the Board of Peace meeting.
There is no Palestinian representation on the board. Israel, which has been committing genocide in Gaza according to a UN inquiry, is a member.
Australia has not joined the board, despite an invitation from Mr Trump, and did not send a representative.
American allies including the UK, Canada and France have also declined to sign on, but former British prime minister Tony Blair has a prominent role.
Mr Trump said the "greatest world leaders" had joined what was "the most prestigious board ever put together".
"Almost everybody's accepted, and the ones that haven't will be," he said.
"And some are playing a little cute – it doesn't work. You can't play cute with me."
Funding pledges
As had been flagged before the meeting, Mr Trump said more than $US7 billion ($9.9 billion) was being put towards a Gaza "relief package" by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait.
It is a fraction of the funding required. UN experts said last year that rebuilding Gaza would cost about $US70 billion ($99 billion).
But Mr Trump said "many more" countries would contribute. "It's just started. This is our first meeting."
Mr Trump also told the assembled leaders:
- Several nations, including Albania, Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Morocco, had committed troops and police to stabilise Gaza, adding to a commitment of 8,000 troops from Indonesia.
- Japan would host an "aid fundraiser", supported by neighbouring Asian nations. "I know that China is going to be involved, and I think Russia is going to be involved," Mr Trump said.
- Soccer's governing body, FIFA, would raise $US75 million ($106 million) for soccer-related projects in Gaza.
Mr Trump also spoke about tensions between the US and Iran, and indicated he would decide on whether to launch an attack "over the next, probably, 10 days".
'Looking over the United Nations'
Mr Trump also said the US would provide funds to "make sure the United Nations is viable" – possibly a response to concerns that the Board of Peace was being created to rival or replace the UN.
"The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly," he said.
The US owes more than $US2 billion ($2.8 billion) to the UN's regular operating budget and $US1.8 billion ($2.6 billion) to a separate peacekeeping budget, a UN official told the Associated Press.
The US government made a partial payment of $US160 million ($227 million) last week, a UN spokesperson said. It followed a warning from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the world body was headed for "imminent financial collapse" unless member states paid their dues.
Mr Trump's lengthy opening remarks to the board traversed topics ranging from recent gains in US stock markets to the architectural beauty of the building hosting the meeting.
He also delivered personal appraisals of some of the world leaders in the room, criticised the performance of Democratic politicians at the Munich Security Conference on the weekend, and complained once again about a failing teleprompter and stalling escalator at a UN meeting in September.
He also repeated his claim he should win a Nobel Prize, but added: "I don't care about a Nobel Prize, I care about saving lives, just so you understand."
