Trump's Board of Peace Meets Amid Plans for Gaza Military Base and Rising Death Toll

The first meeting of Donald Trump's Board of Peace, a newly formed initiative aimed at bringing an end to the war in Gaza, is underway in Washington, with representatives from over 45 countries in attendance. The gathering comes as new reports emerge of plans to build a 5,000-person military base in Gaza, and a recent study published in the Lancet medical journal reveals a higher-than-reported death toll in the conflict.

According to Board of Peace contracting records reviewed by the Guardian, the Trump administration is planning to build a 350-acre military compound in Gaza, which will serve as a base for a multinational military force known as the International Stabilization Force (ISF). The ISF is part of the Board of Peace's efforts to govern Gaza and bring stability to the region.

The plans for the military base have raised concerns among critics, who argue that the move will only exacerbate the conflict and lead to further violence. The Board of Peace, chaired by Donald Trump and led in part by his son-in-law Jared Kushner, has been touted as a solution to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, but its effectiveness remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, a new study published in the Lancet medical journal has revealed that the death toll in the first 16 months of the two-year war in Gaza was significantly higher than initially reported. The study found that over 75,000 people were killed during this period, at least 25,000 more than the death toll announced by local authorities at the time.

The findings of the Lancet study are a sobering reminder of the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians in Gaza. The study's authors note that the true extent of the damage may never be fully known, due to the difficulty of collecting data in a war zone.

As world leaders gather in Washington to discuss the future of Gaza, it remains to be seen whether the Board of Peace will be able to bring about a lasting resolution to the conflict. The plans for the military base, combined with the rising death toll, have raised concerns among critics that the Trump administration's approach may be misguided.

In other news, a very different kind of gathering took place at Columbia University, where the women's basketball team is experiencing a renaissance under the leadership of Coach Megan Griffith. The team's success is a testament to the progress made in women's sports since the early days of the university's women's basketball program, which was established in 1984.

In a recent article, Thomas Hauser, a Columbia alumnus and longtime fan of the university's basketball teams, reflected on the changes he has seen in women's sports over the years. Hauser, who used to do play-by-play for the university's radio station, noted that the women's team is now drawing larger crowds and receiving more attention than ever before.

While the success of the Columbia women's basketball team may seem like a world away from the conflict in Gaza, it is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there are still stories of hope and resilience to be found.

Sources:

• The Guardian: "World leaders gather in Washington for Donald Trump’s first Board of Peace meeting - US politics live"
• The Guardian: "Trump officials plan to build 5,000-person military base in Gaza, files show"
• The Lancet: "Gaza death toll in early part of war far higher than reported, says Lancet study"
• Thomas Hauser: "I went back to my alma mater and saw how women’s sports have changed"