The overall focus of the meeting is the reconstruction of war-torn Gaza, including how to disarm Hamas, which is labeled a terrorist organization.
Anders Persson, a researcher at Linnaeus University, thinks that there are unexpectedly many uncertainties ahead of the meeting, and points out that media in the Middle East do not seem to attach much importance to it.
If you look at the countries that have announced their presence, it's not exactly a star-studded event. It looks more like a Trump friendship club at the moment.
He adds there is a suspicion that some of the countries attending are doing so because they want to do Trump a favor, rather than because they actually care about Gaza.
Tens of billions missing
Western Europe is conspicuous by its absence from the meeting, which is being led by Trump. Major players such as Germany, France and the UK have all declined to participate, which, according to Persson, can be seen as a setback for Trump.
However, there are a couple of points the US president can highlight as wins, he continues. One is that Indonesia has announced that it is prepared to send up to 8,000 peacekeepers to the Gaza Strip.
The second is that, according to Trump, the council members have committed to contributing $5 billion to the reconstruction of Gaza. However, this amount only corresponds to about 10% of the estimated needs, according to a report from the World Bank which estimates that $53 billion are required.
Trump: Most important in history
Trump has claimed that the Peace Council, which was originally created to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, will likely become "the most significant international body in history." According to analysts, there is much evidence that the president wants the Council to become a kind of alternative to the UN Security Council, and to take action in other conflicts.
However, it remains to be seen whether the project will take off, says Persson.
If Gaza becomes a mess, I have a hard time seeing how the Peace Council will be able to make any significant contributions elsewhere in the world.
Trump's son-in-law and Middle East envoy Jared Kushner presented a plan for the reconstruction of Gaza in January. In it, he outlined how the next 100 days are crucial for Gaza's future. Anders Persson emphasizes that 30 days have already passed.
The clock is ticking fast for Trump on Gaza. For his peace plan to be credible, significant things need to happen in the coming months.
