Board of Peace: Tony Blair meets Herzog, Netanyahu, Eisenkot on Gaza
By Rohan SalujaGeopolitics Editor, Peepals Global
Representative image: Pix-Off / Pixabay
Board of Peace envoy Tony Blair met Herzog and Netanyahu on 5 November and Eisenkot on 6 November to restart the Gaza plan after Israel's election.
What Happened
Former British prime minister Tony Blair, a senior envoy of the US-led Board of Peace for Gaza, held talks in Israel this week to try to restart the stalled plan for Gaza after Israel's inconclusive election. He met President Isaac Herzog and caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately on Thursday, 5 November 2026, and was due to meet Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, on Friday, 6 November, according to Israeli media. The Board's High Representative for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, also visited Israel earlier in the week.
Key Facts
- Blair met Herzog at the President's Residence and Netanyahu later the same day, Thursday, 5 November 2026.
- Netanyahu leads a caretaker government until a new administration is formed after the 27 October election, which produced no clear winner.
- Blair was due to meet Gadi Eisenkot, seen as a possible next prime minister, on Friday, 6 November.
- His agenda, according to reports, included letting the Palestinian technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), enter the territory and take up its duties.
- Talks also covered the deployment of an international stabilisation force, the first stages of the US framework for Gaza.
- The work rests on the 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza and a more recent 15-point roadmap for disarming Hamas, reports said.
- An Israeli official said Mladenov did not meet Netanyahu; it was not clear whether he joined Blair's meetings.
- A Hamas official said the group was waiting for a response from mediators in contact with the Board of Peace.
Why It Matters
The Board of Peace is the US-led body working to carry out the American plan for Gaza after the war. Its plan depends on several steps happening in order. First, a committee of Palestinian technocrats, meaning professionals and administrators rather than political leaders, is supposed to take over day-to-day civilian matters such as services and administration. Then an international stabilisation force would help keep security while Hamas is disarmed. Reconstruction is meant to come later. In August, Israeli and Board of Peace officials agreed that no rebuilding would start in Gaza before demilitarisation is complete, according to reports at the time.
None of those steps can move without a functioning Israeli government willing to carry them out. Israel's election on 27 October left no clear majority, and Netanyahu now heads a caretaker cabinet with limited room to take big decisions. That is why Blair met not only the sitting prime minister but also Eisenkot, who could lead the next government. By meeting both, the envoys are trying to make sure the plan survives whatever coalition emerges. A Board official described the visits as a way to see where things stand after the vote.
Blair's own role has grown in recent months. Reports say he has taken on a larger part in managing the Board of Peace and its bodies, while Mladenov keeps his office as high representative for Gaza. For the people of Gaza, the practical question is whether the technocratic committee can actually enter the territory and start restoring basic services; for Israel, it is whether disarmament comes first.
Peepals timeline: In August 2026, Israel and Board of Peace officials agreed on working groups and on no reconstruction in Gaza before demilitarisation, according to reports. On 27 October, Israel's national election ended without a clear winner, leaving Netanyahu at the head of a caretaker government. Early in the week of 2 November, Mladenov visited Israel. On Thursday, 5 November, Blair met Herzog and Netanyahu, and on Friday, 6 November, he was due to meet Eisenkot.
Impact
Short-term: The talks keep the Gaza plan on the agenda during Israel's post-election uncertainty. The key test is whether Israel allows the technocratic committee into Gaza in the coming weeks.
Long-term: If the committee and a stabilisation force are put in place, the plan could move towards disarmament and, later, rebuilding. If coalition talks in Israel drag on, the plan may stay frozen, along with aid and reconstruction.
Who is affected: Civilians in Gaza waiting for services and rebuilding; Israel's political parties now negotiating a new government; Hamas, which says it is waiting for mediators' response; countries that may send troops to a stabilisation force; and countries with a stake in a stable region.
Key Takeaway
Tony Blair's talks with Herzog, Netanyahu and Eisenkot on 5-6 November 2026 were aimed at keeping the US-backed Gaza plan alive while Israel tries to form a new government.
Questions and Answers
Why did Tony Blair visit Israel in November 2026?
As a senior envoy of the US-led Board of Peace, he went to push forward the stalled Gaza plan after Israel's inconclusive 27 October election, meeting Isaac Herzog and Benjamin Netanyahu on 5 November and being due to meet Gadi Eisenkot on 6 November.
What is the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza?
It is a proposed body of Palestinian technocrats that would take charge of civilian administration in Gaza and the restoration of essential services under the US framework.
What is the Board of Peace?
It is the US-led body working to carry out the American plan for Gaza after the war, including a technocratic administration, a stabilisation force and, later, reconstruction. Nickolay Mladenov is its High Representative for Gaza.
Why does Israel's election matter for the Gaza plan?
The 27 October vote produced no clear majority, so Netanyahu leads only a caretaker government. Key steps, such as letting the committee into Gaza, need decisions from a government that has not yet been formed.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Rohan Saluja, Geopolitics EditorCovers Geopolitics and more for Peepals Global. All stories by Rohan Saluja
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Rohan Saluja is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
