Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the Gaza executive committee was "not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy."

The two-year war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas eased with a ceasefire three months ago, but there has been neither peace nor reconstruction. Phase 2 promises progress, but the peace process itself is becoming increasingly controversial.

Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov faces perhaps his most difficult task yet. As the newly minted High Representative for Gaza, he must try to turn the US-brokered ceasefire into lasting peace.

The former UK prime minister and US secretary of state will sit on the "founding executive board", the White House says.

President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” that was initially seen as a mechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of other global crises.

The White House released the names of some of the leaders who will play a role in overseeing the next steps in Gaza after the Palestinian committee set to govern the territory under U.S. supervision met for the first time.

Israeli forces have wounded several Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, firing on civilians and launching air and artillery attacks in the latest near-daily violations of the ceasefire in place since October, as its genocidal war on the besieged enclave continues unabated.

Palestinians in Gaza questioned what moving into phase two would actually change on the ground, pointing to ongoing bloodshed and challenges securing basic necessities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the White House efforts were “contrary to its policy,” a rare public admonishment.