US 'grateful' to Board of Peace members: Vice president

The US is "grateful" to every member of President Donald Trump's Board of Peace for their participation, Vice President JD Vance said Thursday.

Vance said he believes the newly-created board is "fundamentally about making the peace stick, and it's an incredible thing that you guys have all done."

"To all of the leaders gathered here today who are investing in the future, who are investing in peace, we're grateful to you. We're grateful for your partnership," Vance said during the board's inaugural meeting in Washington, DC.

"In particular, I think, to the president of Azerbaijan and the prime minister of Armenia, who I just saw last week, thank you all for making it possible and for showing what real leadership can accomplish. When you set aside weapons and killing and destruction and invest in your people and invest in prosperity, it can create great things. So thank you both for what you did," he added.

The Board of Peace was established within the framework of efforts toward a peaceful settlement in the Gaza Strip. It has since expanded to promote peacemaking around the world. Washington has said additional states have since joined the initiative.

A US-backed ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Oct. 10, halting Israel's two-year onslaught that has killed more than 72,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 since October 2023.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations through shelling and gunfire, killing 611 Palestinians and injuring 1,630, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.