WASHINGTON, D.C.: The major proponent of the destruction of Gaza, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is to join U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace to oversee the reconstruction of the Gazan enclave and prepare a pathway to statehood for the Palestinians.

Mr Netanyahu, who vehemently opposes the two-state solution, announced he had accepted a seat on the board.

"Israel has an interest in being involved in the decision-making process, especially with Trump leading the way. Not participating was simply not an option," an Israeli official was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying on Wednesday .

India and Pakistan are among at least eight other countries invited to join President Trump's Board of Peace, a new body of world leaders meant to oversee the next steps in Gaza that shows ambitions for a broader mandate in global affairs.

Two of the countries, Hungary and Vietnam, said they too have accepted.

Other countries that have agreed to participate include the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Argentina. 

In letters sent out late last week to world leaders inviting them to be "founding members," Trump said the Board of Peace would "embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict."

It could become a rival to the U.N. Security Council, the United Nations' most powerful body, formed after World War II. U.S. vetoes have blocked the 15-member council from acting to end the war in Gaza, and the U.N.'s influence has also fallen after significant funding cuts by the Trump administration and other donors.

Jordan, Greece, and Cyprus said they received invitations over the weekend. Canada, Turkey, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina, and Albania have already confirmed they were invited. It is not clear how many countries were invited in total.

According to a U.S. official, a US$1 billion payment would secure permanent membership on the Trump-led board, while a three-year term would not require any contribution. The official said the money would be used to rebuild Gaza.

However, the letters written by Trump, which were posted to social media by two leaders invited to be a part of the board – Argentinian President Javier Milei and Paraguay's leader, Santiago Pena – pointed to broader ambitions. A so-called "charter" that accompanied the letter also pointed to loftier goals, according to several reports.

In Trump's letter to Milei, the US president said the board would seek to "solidify Peace in the Middle East", adding that it would "embark on a bold new approach to resolving Global Conflict" at the same time.

Australia has also been invited and will discuss the proposal with the U.S. to better understand its implications, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.

The U.S. is expected to announce the complete list of members in the coming days, possibly during the ongoing World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Board members would oversee the next steps in Gaza as the ceasefire that began on October 10 enters a difficult second phase. Plans include forming a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas, and rebuilding the damaged territory.

Trump's invitation letters said the U.N. Security Council had endorsed the U.S. 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza, which includes the creation of the board. Some invitees shared the letters on social media.

The White House also announced an executive committee to carry out the board's plans, but Israel said the move was not coordinated with it and went against its policy. The statement from Prime Minister Netanyahu's office was an unusual public criticism of the U.S. but it has not stopped the Israeli premier from taking a seat on the peace board.

The executive committee includes U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, Trump's deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel, and Israeli billionaire Yakir Gabay.

It also includes representatives from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who are monitoring the ceasefire. Turkey has tense relations with Israel but good ties with Hamas and could play a role in pushing the group to give up control of Gaza and disarm.