The US-led Board of Peace aims to establish a humanitarian zone in the Rafah area regardless of Hamas's agreement to disarm, but requires cooperation from Israel and the Palestinian technocratic panel tasked with replacing the terror group, according to a report.
The US-led Board of Peace is advancing plans for a pilot housing project in the Rafah area, but the green light remains elusive, according to a report published Friday. The initiative does not require Hamas's agreement to disarm, but depends on cooperation from Israel and a Palestinian technocratic panel tasked with replacing Hamas's governance — cooperation that has not yet been secured, the report notes. This is the latest development in a series of reports on the Board's efforts to establish 'Hamas-free humanitarian zones' in Gaza.
The Zioneer first reported on the pilot project on Thursday, July 9, at 16:00 Jerusalem, when sources familiar with the plans told the desk that the Board of Peace was advancing a pilot to move Gaza civilians to areas outside Hamas control, beginning in the Rafah area with light construction and infrastructure. Later that same day, additional sources told N12 that the pilot would involve caravans and improved tents, not full rebuilding, and that several zones had been marked along the yellow line. The concept of 'Hamas-free zones' has been under development for weeks: on June 30, The Zioneer reported on the 'Peace Council' initiative to open zones as a pilot for the Trump plan, and on July 1, Israel Hayom reported that the first zone would open in the Tel Sultan neighborhood, policed by an international stabilization force using non-lethal weapons.
The Board of Peace, established under the Trump administration's Gaza framework, aims to separate the civilian population from Hamas, a key element of the broader US plan for Gaza's future. As The Zioneer reported on June 29, the Board has finalized its governance plans, but the Palestinian technocratic panel remains outside Gaza, attending workshops, while disarmament negotiations with Hamas have stalled. The pilot zones are to be policed by a multinational force armed only with non-lethal weapons, per a July 5 Israel Hayom report, and the IDF will maintain a security cordon outside the zones.
What remains open: the green light from Israel and the Palestinian technocratic panel has not been granted. The timeline for the pilot's implementation remains unclear, and the scope of the project — including the number of zones and the number of civilians to be relocated — has not been confirmed.
4 developments
- DevelopingTrump's Board of Peace plans first 'Hamas-free' humanitarian zone in Rafah area within weeks
- DevelopingGaza Board of Peace finalizes governance plans as disarmament talks stall
- DevelopingGaza 'Peace Council' to open humanitarian zones without Hamas in pilot for Trump plan
- StrongBoard of Peace proposes Hamas-free humanitarian zones in Gaza
Source and signal
- Internal intake