On September 26, 2025, reports from both Israeli and international media sent ripples through diplomatic circles: former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is being considered to lead a temporary administration in the Gaza Strip, tasked with overseeing reconstruction and shepherding the war-ravaged territory through a fragile transition. The proposal, which has the backing of the White House and support from the United Nations and several Arab nations, would see Blair chairing the newly conceived Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA) for a period of up to five years.
According to The Times of Israel and corroborated by Sky News, the transitional authority is envisioned as a bridge—governing Gaza until it is stable enough to be handed back to the Palestinian Authority. The proposal itself is modeled on international missions that guided other regions, such as Kosovo and Timor-Leste, through their own post-conflict transitions to statehood. The plan, notably, does not involve the relocation of Palestinians, a move that has been a red line in every negotiation and remains so today.
Tony Blair’s potential appointment is not without controversy. His legacy in the Middle East is complicated, marked by his support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and his subsequent role as the international community’s special envoy to the Middle East from 2007 until 2015. During that tenure, Blair’s mandate was to help foster economic development and institutional capacity in the Palestinian territories, laying groundwork for eventual statehood. Yet, as Sky News noted, his efforts produced few dramatic changes, and he stepped down in 2015. The shadow of the Iraq War still looms large over his public image, particularly in the Arab world.
The plan’s momentum appears to have picked up after Blair met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in August 2025. SAN and The Economist report that the meeting focused squarely on Gaza’s future, with Blair’s experience in conflict resolution—especially his central role in brokering the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland—offered as a key asset. The proposal would only move forward if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives his approval, a significant hurdle given the fraught nature of Israeli domestic politics and skepticism toward international oversight.
The details of the plan are ambitious. The United Nations would assume legal and political authority over Gaza for a five-year period, with GITA initially operating out of Egypt, near Gaza’s southern crossing. Only after the territory stabilizes would the authority relocate into Gaza itself. The plan also calls for an international force to be stationed along Gaza’s borders, with the explicit aim of preventing Hamas from re-establishing itself—a direct response to anxieties in both Israel and the wider international community about future security threats.
According to BBC, the proposal has garnered support not just from the U.S. and the UN, but also several Arab nations. This international coalition is seen as crucial, both for legitimacy and for the practical challenges of governance in a territory battered by war and political division. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, expressed willingness on September 25, 2025, to coordinate with Trump and other world leaders on a two-state peace plan. Abbas, however, drew a firm line: "Hamas should have no governing role in Gaza and must give up its weapons." His stance reflects widespread concerns that any future arrangement must decisively address the militant group’s influence.
Yet, as Sky News correspondent Mark Stone pointed out, there is skepticism about how much traction the proposal really has. Some officials have cast doubt on Blair’s selection and the feasibility of the transitional authority, given the deep political, security, and logistical hurdles. Ongoing tensions between Hamas and Israel, and the sheer complexity of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, make any solution daunting.
And that humanitarian crisis is as dire as it has ever been. On August 22, 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification officially declared famine in the Gaza Governorate, putting an estimated 2.1 million people at risk of extreme hunger. Hospitals are reporting a surge in severe malnutrition cases, with children, pregnant women, and the elderly most affected. The opening of new aid distribution centers in May 2025 has not stemmed the tide; in fact, it coincided with a sharp increase in mass casualty cases. The Red Cross field hospital alone has treated over 3,400 patients wounded by weapons since May, surpassing the total for all of 2024, according to SAN.
The roots of this devastation trace back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages. The Israeli military’s subsequent operations in Gaza have been relentless. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports at least 65,500 deaths and 151,000 injuries from Israeli strikes—a staggering toll that underscores the urgency of reconstruction and humanitarian relief.
The proposed international administration for Gaza is modeled on precedents set in Kosovo and East Timor, where transitional authorities, backed by multinational security forces, helped guide societies through the aftermath of conflict. In both cases, the international community assumed broad powers, overseeing everything from security to institution-building, until local authorities were ready to take over. The architects of the Gaza plan hope to replicate that delicate balance between international oversight and local empowerment.
Still, the specter of external governance is a sensitive one for Palestinians, many of whom are wary of foreign intervention—especially from figures associated with controversial wars in the region. Blair’s previous role as envoy to the Middle East, and his close ties to the U.S., may complicate efforts to win over local stakeholders. Critics argue that a transitional authority must be genuinely inclusive, transparent, and responsive to Palestinian needs, not simply another imposition from abroad.
For its part, the Israeli government has so far remained noncommittal. While the idea of an international force to guard Gaza’s borders and prevent a Hamas resurgence may appeal to security hawks, the prospect of ceding any degree of control—even temporarily—to an international body is likely to provoke fierce debate within Netanyahu’s coalition. Some Israeli officials have privately expressed skepticism about Blair’s candidacy, citing his record in the region and the political baggage he brings.
Meanwhile, the urgency on the ground cannot be overstated. The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza has made the search for a viable post-war administration all the more pressing. With famine declared, hospitals overwhelmed, and the social fabric of Gaza stretched to breaking point, the stakes could hardly be higher. Whether Tony Blair and the proposed GITA can rise to meet this historic challenge remains to be seen, but for now, the world is watching—and waiting—for the next chapter in Gaza’s long and troubled story.
