Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair has been involved in high-level discussions about leading a transitional authority in Gaza if a ceasefire is agreed, the BBC understands. The proposal would see Gaza administered by an international body backed by the United Nations and Gulf states before being returned to Palestinian control.
Blair, who served as Britain’s leader from 1997 to 2007, is no stranger to Middle East diplomacy. After leaving Downing Street, he became the Quartet’s envoy to the region, representing the U.S., EU, Russia, and the UN. In that role, he focused on promoting Palestinian economic development and laying groundwork for a two-state solution.
Talks about Gaza’s post-war governance have accelerated in recent weeks as the U.S. and Arab leaders seek to map out a path forward once hostilities subside. President Donald Trump raised the concept of a transitional administration during meetings at the United Nations this week, according to diplomatic sources.
One of the proposals circulating in Washington envisions Blair himself leading such an authority. His office, however, has declined to confirm those details, saying only that he would not endorse any plan that displaced the people of Gaza or undermined their rights to self-determination.
In August, Blair quietly joined a White House meeting with Trump to discuss Gaza’s future, alongside U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff later described the talks as “very comprehensive,” though he offered few specifics about what was agreed.
The idea of an international transitional authority is being floated as a way to avoid both a power vacuum and a return to Hamas control once the fighting ends. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that he is willing to work with Trump and other world leaders on a two-state peace plan but flatly rejected any continued governing role for Hamas.
Abbas has also demanded that Hamas disarm as part of any arrangement, signaling that a transitional body could act as a bridge toward eventual Palestinian Authority control in Gaza. The U.S. and its allies see such a transition as a way to stabilize the territory and provide humanitarian relief while longer-term political questions are addressed.
Blair’s potential involvement has drawn mixed reactions. Some officials view his experience in international diplomacy as an asset, while critics recall his controversial decision to take Britain into the Iraq War in 2003, a move later condemned in an official inquiry. That report concluded Blair had acted on flawed intelligence and with insufficient certainty over claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.
Still, Blair has maintained ties with regional leaders over the years and is regarded in some capitals as a pragmatic mediator. He has often argued that economic development and improved living conditions for Palestinians are vital components of any lasting peace.
Diplomats familiar with the discussions caution that no final decision has been made on who would lead a transitional authority or what its precise mandate would be. The role could range from overseeing humanitarian aid and rebuilding infrastructure to facilitating security arrangements with Palestinian and international partners.
The U.S. proposal, according to sources, envisions substantial backing from Gulf states to fund reconstruction and provide legitimacy to the transitional body. UN involvement would be critical in lending the authority international credibility and ensuring Palestinian buy-in.
For Washington, the challenge lies in balancing regional demands with domestic political considerations. Trump has repeatedly emphasized his desire to craft what he calls the “deal of the century” in the Middle East, but his administration faces skepticism about its neutrality.
The prospect of Blair taking a central role underscores how Western governments are turning to seasoned figures with prior experience in the region to manage what promises to be an enormously complex post-conflict transition.
Yet Palestinian voices have made clear that international solutions must ultimately lead to Palestinian sovereignty. “We welcome assistance, but Gaza must belong to its people,” one Palestinian diplomat told reporters in New York. “Any transitional arrangement cannot become permanent.”
As ceasefire negotiations continue, the idea of Blair leading a Gaza authority remains just one of several options. Whether it gains traction will depend on the willingness of both regional and international stakeholders to entrust him with a role that is as politically fraught as it is pivotal.
