UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly weighing whether to join US President Donald Trump’s newly announced Board of Peace for Gaza.
The initiative is part of the White House’s 20-point plan aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The board is expected to temporarily oversee Gaza’s administration, coordinate reconstruction efforts, and include world leaders from multiple nations.
UK diplomats are seeking further clarity from the US State Department regarding the board’s role and the responsibilities of its members. The Sunday Times first reported that Starmer had been invited to join. However, government sources told the BBC that “a formal invitation has not been received and the decision has not been made.”
US media reports indicate that Trump plans to announce the board’s membership later this week. Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair is expected to join a separate executive board alongside Trump’s advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. In September, the US confirmed Blair would be a member of the peace board, with the former Labour leader describing the plan as “the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering.”
Details of Blair’s involvement remain unclear, as reports suggest some Middle Eastern countries objected to his role, citing his past decision to deploy British forces as part of the US-led military intervention in Iraq.
Speaking on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the Gaza peace board was still being formed. “Essentially, it’s the most important leaders of the most important nations. You take the most important leaders and nations, that’s who the Board of Peace is going to be,” he said, noting strong international interest in participating.
In the UK, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper was asked in the House of Commons whether Starmer had joined the board but did not answer directly. “We supported the 20-point plan to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza,” Cooper said. “That is still fragile, and there’s still a huge amount of work to do, including humanitarian support and the decommissioning of weapons from Hamas. It’s vital that the international community comes together to support that effort.”
Starmer has maintained a constructive relationship with Trump despite disagreements over the UK’s recognition of the state of Palestine last year. The Prime Minister, who has faced criticism for frequent foreign travel, defended his focus on international affairs during a meeting with Labour MPs. “The cost of living crisis will not be solved by isolationism,” he said. “One thing that is crystal-clear is that we are moving into a world very different from the one most of us grew up in. In such a volatile world, you have to be on the pitch. You have to be in the room to tackle the issues working people care about.”