Hamas urges Trump's 'Board of Peace' to force Israel to stop Gaza killings

Hamas on Tuesday called on the Board of Peace to pressure Israel to halt its ongoing violations of the Gaza ceasefire ahead of the first summit of the Trump-engineered body.

The controversial 28-member board is set to meet in Washington on Thursday, where it is expected to announce new details of its plan to reconstruct the devastated Palestinian territory.

"We call on the Board of Peace in its next meeting to take serious action to oblige the Israeli occupation to stop its violations in Gaza," Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement.

"The war continues and the killings, displacement, siege and starvation in Gaza have not stopped," he said.

Israel has violated the four-month truce on almost a daily basis, killing at least 604 Palestinians and injuring more than 1,600 others, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Israeli authorities have continued to impose heavy restrictions on the entry of aid and have strictly limited crossings at Rafah despite pledging to open the border during the first phase of the ceasefire.

Qassem urged the board to begin reconstruction and put pressure on Israel to allow the newly formed Palestinian committee chosen to govern Gaza to enter the strip.

"We call for lifting the siege on Gaza and opening the crossings, and not being content with the partial and minimal opening … and the accompanying violations by the occupation against travellers," he said.

"We warn against the [Israeli] occupation using this council as a cover to continue the war on Gaza and to prevent reconstruction."

Fresh Israeli attacks have been reported across Gaza this week, with a Palestinian man shot dead by troops east of Khan Younis on Wednesday morning, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The council is expected to discuss the extensive reconstruction process and the possible deployment of a multinational force to replace Hamas security forces in Gaza.

Trump said last week that $5 billion had been pledged by member states for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

Twenty-eight countries have agreed to join the Board of Peace, which has drawn global criticism for centralising power in the hands of the US president and undermining the UN-led international order.

Among the members are several Arab and Muslim states, including Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE.

Israel joined the board earlier this month and will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.

Mexico and the Vatican said on Tuesday they would not join the board, adding to more than a dozen Western countries that have declined invitations.

Israeli soldier killed