Downing Street is assessing whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should take a seat on the US‑led Board of Peace for Gaza, a proposed international body to supervise the territory’s transition. The Times reported that an invitation had been signalled and suggested the Prime Minister was expected to accept; however, No 10 said no formal invitation had yet been received and no decision had been taken. ([thetimes.com](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/keir-starmer-uk-gaza-peace-board-trump-sb65qmfkp?utm_source=openai))
The Board of Peace forms part of Washington’s 20‑point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. According to the plan text released by US officials, the Board would oversee a temporary Palestinian technocratic committee, coordinate reconstruction finance, and work alongside an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) tied to demilitarisation benchmarks. ([thenationalnews.com](https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/2025/09/29/white-house-releases-plan-for-immediate-end-to-gaza-war/?utm_source=openai))
The legal basis for this architecture was set on 17 November 2025 when the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2803. The resolution welcomes the establishment of a Board of Peace, authorises a temporary ISF for Gaza, and requires six‑monthly progress reports to the Council through to 31 December 2027 unless otherwise decided. ([un.org](https://www.un.org/unispal/document/security-council-meeting-coverage-17nov25/?utm_source=openai))
US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday 11 January that the Board is being formed and will comprise leaders of “the most important nations”, adding that “everybody wants to be on it”. Those remarks indicate imminent moves on membership but no confirmed date for announcement. ([aa.com.tr](https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-says-board-of-peace-for-gaza-being-formed/3796746?utm_source=openai))
Personnel choices are already emerging. Reuters reports that former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov is poised to direct Board operations after meeting senior Israeli and Palestinian officials last week, while the Associated Press relayed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that Mladenov has been appointed to the role. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/envoy-tapped-trumps-gaza-board-meets-senior-palestinian-official-west-bank-2026-01-09/?utm_source=openai))
In the House of Commons on 18 November 2025, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reaffirmed UK support for the 20‑point plan and outlined practical contributions. She said the UK does not expect to contribute troops to the ISF but is embedded in a US‑led civil‑military coordination effort, provides police‑training support for Palestinians, and offers decommissioning expertise; she did not announce any decision on Board membership. ([hansard.parliament.uk](https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025-11-18/debates/c9d6854d-01a2-4911-9556-7f7e657910b6/CommonsChamber?utm_source=openai))
Expectations around former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair have shifted. Following objections from regional governments, the Financial Times reported he is no longer set for the main Board but is likely to serve on a separate executive committee with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in a supporting role. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/3f6cdc81-f286-4424-b80d-2355c8316b29?utm_source=openai))
If the UK accepts a seat, the practical questions are specific: the Board’s decision rights over the Palestinian committee; how demilitarisation standards will trigger ISF drawdown; and how humanitarian aid will be safeguarded against diversion while scaling up. These follow directly from Resolution 2803’s reporting and authorisation framework and from the plan’s governance design. ([un.org](https://www.un.org/unispal/document/security-council-meeting-coverage-17nov25/?utm_source=openai))
Any UK role would sit alongside the government’s recognition of the State of Palestine announced at the UN on 22 September 2025. Ministers have framed that step as supporting Palestinian institution‑building, which makes clarity over Gaza’s administrative oversight, accountability and time‑limits material to UK policy. ([gov.uk](https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/i-stand-before-you-today-beneath-the-emblem-of-the-united-nations-to-confirm-the-historic-decision-of-the-british-government-to-recognise-the-state?utm_source=openai))
Timing remains fluid. The Times suggested an initial gathering of principals could coincide with meetings in Davos, while President Trump’s latest comments gave no fixed date. UK ministers are therefore expected to await a formal invitation setting out term length, conflict‑of‑interest rules and reporting lines to the UN before making a final decision. ([thetimes.com](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/keir-starmer-uk-gaza-peace-board-trump-sb65qmfkp?utm_source=openai))