Board of Peace drops plans for full Gaza reconstruction – report

US-backed Board of Peace has reportedly abandoned its plans for building a “New Gaza” in favor of a pilot program creating a small amount of temporary housing, with the main goal of discouraging a new IDF campaign.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has sharply reduced the scope of its immediate Gaza recovery effort, concentrating instead on a small-scale housing project near Rafah after months of delays blocked implementation of its broader reconstruction plan.

The proposed pilot program would accommodate tens of thousands of Arabs in temporary housing in southern Gaza, providing residents with expanded humanitarian services and security supplied by a multinational force and newly trained Palestinian police.

Board officials describe the initiative as the first step toward implementing Trump’s larger 20-point Gaza plan rather than a formal abandonment of it. The full plan, which remains published by the Board of Peace, calls for Gaza’s reconstruction, disarmament of Hamas, Israeli military withdrawal, Palestinian technocratic government and deployment of an International Stabilization Force.

However, the pilot is far more limited than the territory-wide program initially promoted by Trump administration officials. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a leading figure in the initiative, had said earlier this year that water, electricity, sewage systems, hospitals, bakeries and other basic infrastructure could be restored across Gaza within 100 days.

Five months of political and security deadlock have since forced the board to adopt a more incremental approach.

“The aim is just to keep something going, keep the ball in play,” an unnamed Western diplomat familiar with the planning told The Guardian.

The diplomat added that the goal now is simply to discourage Israel from launching a new ground campaign in Gaza or encouraging the mass migration of Arabs out of the coastal enclave.

“If you stop there are others with a more extreme agenda just waiting to jump in and take over, and they are talking about wholesale population transfer and colonization.”

Under the emerging proposal, Israel would withdraw its forces from a designated area near Rafah. The International Stabilization Force, or ISF, would take responsibility for securing the pilot zone and its boundaries.

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, a 13-member body of Palestinian professionals and technocrats, would enter the territory and begin administering services. A vetted Palestinian police force would handle local law enforcement with support from the international force.

Board officials have said participation would be voluntary and that Palestinians living in the zone would be free to enter and leave. They have also said the selection process would recognize property rights, although detailed eligibility and vetting rules have not been disclosed.

The pilot would reportedly consist largely of portable cabins and would initially favor residents displaced from the Rafah area. Preparatory meetings were held in Cyprus earlier this month, but construction of the housing zone and training of the Palestinian police force have not begun.

The project also requires cooperation from Israel, whose approval would be necessary for an Israeli troop withdrawal, entry of Palestinian administrators and deployment of foreign security personnel.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that the government would not agree to withdraw troops from additional areas until Hamas disarms. Separate legal agreements governing the presence of foreign forces also remain unresolved.

The Board of Peace has argued that the pilot could proceed even without a final agreement with Hamas, although officials acknowledge that a disarmament agreement would allow the project to advance more quickly.

Hamas announced this month that it was dissolving its de facto governing bodies in Gaza and was prepared to transfer administrative responsibilities to the Palestinian technocratic committee. Israel dismissed the announcement as a “stunt,” while the Board of Peace said it would judge the group by its conduct.

“Ultimately, our assessment will be guided by actions, not promises, to meet the critical needs of the people of Gaza,” the board said.

Hamas and mediators have continued discussing possible arrangements for surrendering or decommissioning weapons, but significant differences remain. Hamas has demanded Israeli compliance with withdrawal provisions in the ceasefire agreement, while Israel insists that disarmament must come first.

The Palestinian technocratic committee’s support for the pilot is also disputed. Board officials say its leadership is cooperating with the initiative, but other people familiar with the discussions say some committee members fear the project would formalize Gaza’s division and give preferential treatment to a small part of the population.

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