US President Donald Trump has revealed the names of members of the “Peace Council," which will oversee the second phase of his plan to regulate the situation in Gaza, including the reconstruction and the disarmament of Hamas.
Among the members is Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay, who was appointed to the “Gaza Executive Council," which will operate alongside the Peace Council.
Gabay, 60, was born in Jerusalem and currently lives in Britain and Cyprus. He is active in investments, high-tech, and real estate, and heads real estate groups operating mainly in Germany. In the past, he held senior management positions at Bank Leumi and Gmul Investments. His personal fortune is estimated at approximately $4.1 billion.
Gabay has a historical and personal connection to the Gaza region. His great-grandfather, Hacham [Sage] David Amos, was a merchant and entrepreneur active in the Negev and Gaza in the early 20th century. Amos initiated the construction of the first pier at the Port of Gaza and purchased extensive tracts of land in the Rafah area.
According to Eti Eshed, former Justice Ministry spokesperson and Amos’s granddaughter, in an interview with Ynet, “With the appointment of the great-grandson of Hacham David Amos to the Peace Council for the rehabilitation of Gaza, our family has come full circle. The grandson of the grandson has come to complete what the grandfather began to build - shared lives that offer hope to everyone. It is truly the irony of history."
Gabay’s appointment followed ongoing cooperation with business figures from the West and the Arab world since November 2023, when he presented a vision for the future of Gaza after the fighting ends. Following the publication of Trump’s 20-point plan, the White House contacted him and offered him to join the council.
Gabay, who is close to presidential adviser Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff, said: “It is a great honor for me to be appointed by US President Trump as a volunteer board member of the Peace Council for Gaza. I thank President Trump, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner for the trust they have placed in me. I intend to work together with the board members to realize the US president’s vision of peace for development, construction, prosperity, and a free economy in Gaza, and to expand the Abraham Accords to additional countries."
He added, “The complete disarmament of Hamas is a prerequisite for implementing the development plan. We will continue our utmost efforts to bring the kidnapped Border Police fighter Ran Gvili back for burial in Israel."