Jakarta, Indonesia - Indonesia's president, under fire at home for signing up to his US counterpart Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace", has insisted his country would not pay the $1 billion joining fee for permanent membership.

Jakarta had only committed peacekeeping troops for the initiative, Prabowo Subianto said in a statement published on the presidential YouTube channel Sunday.

The "Board of Peace" came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a nominal ceasefire in October to halt two Israel's destruction of Gaza, which has nonetheless continued at a slower pace since.

Countries that want to be permanent members must pay $1 billion – sparking criticism the board is meant to become a "pay-to-play" version of the UN Security Council.

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Prabowo, a former general, has come under criticism from Indonesian Muslim groups for joining the board and pledging to send 8,000 peacekeeping troops to Gaza, where Israel has continued its killing with impunity.

He later said he would withdraw from the board if it does not bring benefits to Palestinians or align with Indonesia's national interests.

"We never said that we wanted to contribute $1 billion," Prabowo said, while also denying he had made any financial commitments "at all".

Prabowo signed a tariff deal with the US last month, but insisted Sunday that Indonesia could withdraw from any agreement if its conditions or execution threatens the national interest.

Talks with Washington about any peacekeeping mission to Gaza have been put "on hold", according to state news agency Antara, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela.