Israel says Bulgarian diplomat will lead Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza ceasefire
Israel has announced that a Bulgarian diplomat will head a new international body tasked with overseeing the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, marking a significant development in US President Donald Trump’s efforts to stabilise the conflict after years of fighting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a former United Nations Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, has been selected to direct Trump’s newly created Board of Peace for Gaza. The body is intended to supervise the implementation of the second and more complex phase of the ceasefire agreement, which followed an October truce that ended more than two years of sustained hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement comes amid continued volatility on the ground. Palestinian officials reported that at least eight more people were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza in recent days, underlining the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the challenges facing any monitoring mechanism.
Nickolay Mladenov is a seasoned diplomat who previously served as the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process. His experience in navigating Israeli Palestinian tensions and coordinating with regional and international actors is seen by Israeli officials as an asset at a time when the ceasefire is entering a politically sensitive stage.
The Board of Peace is expected to oversee arrangements related to security, humanitarian access and longer term stabilisation measures. While the first phase of the ceasefire focused largely on halting large scale hostilities, the second phase involves more complex issues, including governance, reconstruction and guarantees to prevent a return to sustained fighting.
Trump’s Middle East initiative has moved cautiously since the October ceasefire. While Washington has framed the truce as a breakthrough, negotiations over subsequent steps have progressed slowly, reflecting deep mistrust between the parties and unresolved political questions surrounding Gaza’s future.
Israeli officials say the board will work closely with regional partners and international organisations to ensure compliance with the ceasefire terms. However, details about its authority, enforcement powers and relationship with existing UN mechanisms have yet to be fully clarified.
The choice of a non American figure to lead the board appears aimed at lending the initiative broader international credibility. Mladenov’s background at the United Nations and his familiarity with both Israeli and Palestinian leadership circles may help bridge communication gaps during a delicate phase of the process.
Critics, however, remain sceptical. Some analysts argue that without clear political commitments from both sides, oversight bodies risk becoming symbolic rather than effective. Others point out that continued military activity, even at a lower level, could undermine confidence in the ceasefire before longer term arrangements are put in place.
For Gaza’s civilian population, the stakes remain high. Years of conflict have left infrastructure severely damaged and humanitarian conditions fragile. Aid agencies have warned that sustained calm is essential for reconstruction efforts and for addressing chronic shortages of electricity, clean water and medical supplies.
The Israeli government has stressed that security concerns remain paramount and that any future arrangements must prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities. Hamas, for its part, has accused Israel of violating the spirit of the ceasefire through ongoing strikes and restrictions.
As the Board of Peace prepares to begin its work, its success will depend on whether it can translate diplomatic oversight into tangible stability on the ground. The appointment of Mladenov signals an attempt to bring experienced mediation into a stalled process, but the path ahead remains uncertain as Gaza continues to sit at the centre of a highly charged regional and international landscape.
