U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace that nine participating members have committed a combined $7 billion for a relief initiative in Gaza and five nations have pledged to contribute troops to an international stabilization force aimed at supporting the war-battered Palestinian territory.

In a flurry of announcements at the end of a long, meandering speech to representatives from nearly 50 nations, Trump said the United States will contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace. He didn't specify what the money would be used for. It was also not clear where the U.S. money would come from – a sizable pledge that would need to be authorized by Congress.

The Board of Peace includes Israel but not Palestinian representatives.

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania have pledged to send troops for a Gaza stabilization force, while Egypt and Jordan have committed to train police. Troops will initially be deployed to Rafah, a major population center where the U.S. administration hopes to first focus reconstruction efforts.

The countries making pledges are Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait, Trump said.

Trump said FIFA will raise $75 million for soccer-related projects in Gaza and that the United Nations will chip in $2 billion for humanitarian assistance.

"Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of new and harmonious (region)," Trump said in thanking the donors. He added, "The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built right here in this room."

Gaza reconstruction gap remains vast

The dollars pledged, while significant, represent a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of Israel's genocidal war.

Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, the leader of the newly created International Stabilization Force, said the plans call for 12,000 police and 20,000 soldiers for Gaza. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced his country would contribute up to 8,000 troops to the force.

"With these first steps, we help bring the security that Gaza needs for a future of prosperity and enduring peace," Jeffers said.

The board was initiated as part of Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza.

But since the October cease-fire, Trump's vision for the board has morphed and he wants it to have an even more ambitious remit – one that will not only complete the Herculean task of bringing lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas but will also help resolve conflicts around the globe.

But the Gaza cease-fire deal remains fragile and Trump's expanded vision for the board has triggered fears the U.S. president is looking to create a rival to the United Nations.

Trump, pushing back against the criticism, said the creation of his board would help make the U.N. viable in the future.

"Someday I won't be here. The United Nations will be," Trump said. "I think it is going to be much stronger, and the Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly."

Even as Trump spoke of the gathering as a triumph that would help bring a more persistent peace to the Middle East, he sent new warnings to Iran.

Tensions are high between the United States and Iran as Trump has ordered one of the largest U.S. military buildups in the region in decades.

One aircraft carrier group is already in the region and another is on the way. Trump has warned Tehran it will face American military action if it does not denuclearize, give up ballistic missiles and halt funding to extremist groups.

Trump said he should know in 10 days whether a deal is possible to end a standoff with Tehran.

"We have to make a meaningful deal. Otherwise, bad things happen," he said.

Nearly 50 countries send officials

Nearly 50 countries and the European Union sent officials to Thursday's meeting. Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are among more than a dozen countries that have not joined the board, but that took part as observers.

Most countries sent high-level officials, but a few leaders – including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian President Viktor Orban – traveled to Washington for the gathering.

"Almost everybody's accepted, and the ones that haven't, will be," Trump offered. "And some are playing a little cute – it doesn't work. You can't play cute with me."

The U.N. Security Council held a high-level meeting on Wednesday on the cease-fire deal and Israel's efforts to expand control in the occupied West Bank.

The U.N. session in New York was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved up after Trump announced the board's meeting for the same date and it became clear that it would complicate travel plans for diplomats planning to attend both.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters earlier this week that "at the international level it should above all be the U.N. that manages these crisis situations."

Türkiye says situation remains precarious

Official after official used their speaking turns to heap praise on Trump for his ability to end conflicts around the world. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called him the "savior of South Asia," while others said that years of U.S. foreign policy efforts by his predecessor failed to do what Trump has done in the past year.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Trump and others gathered for the meeting deserved thanks for their collective efforts on Gaza. But Fidan, who said Türkiye was also prepared to contribute troops to the stabilization force, cautioned that the situation remains precarious.

"The humanitarian situation remains fragile and cease-fire violations continue to occur," Fidan said. "A prompt, coordinated and effective response is therefore essential."

Fidan said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan "remains fully" committed to ensuring the stability of Gaza, while noting that Türkiye could offer significant support in rebuilding the enclave's health and education sectors, as well as training a new police force.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged there is a "long ways to go" in Gaza.

"There's a lot of work that remains that will require the contribution of every nation state represented here today," Rubio added.

In Gaza, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said any international force must "monitor the cease-fire and prevent the (Israeli) occupation from continuing its aggression."

Hamas says it is ready to hand over to a U.S.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats led by Ali Shaath.

Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian with a senior role in the Board of Peace, said at the meeting that 2,000 Palestinians have applied to join a new transitional Palestinian police force.