Media: US plans “green zone” in Gaza for reconstruction As "red zone" remains in ruins

US military planning envisions dividing Gaza into two zones following the recent ceasefire: a “green zone” under Israeli and international control for reconstruction, and a “red zone” left in ruins, according to documents seen by the Guardian and officials briefed on the plans.

Foreign forces would initially deploy alongside Israeli troops in the east, separated by the current Israeli-controlled “yellow line.” A US official acknowledged the plan is complex and long-term: “Ideally you would want to make it all whole, right? But that’s aspirational… It’s going to take some time. It’s not going to be easy.”

The plan raises doubts about Washington’s commitment to Palestinian self-rule in Gaza, promised in President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. After weeks of promoting fenced-in “alternative safe communities” (ASC) for limited groups of Palestinians, the US has abandoned that approach, though humanitarian organisations have yet to be formally notified.

Without a clear strategy for international peacekeepers, Israeli troop withdrawal, and large-scale rebuilding, Gaza risks becoming “not war but not peace,” with restricted reconstruction and ongoing Israeli military presence, leaving Palestinians with limited self-rule.

The proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) is central to the US plan, with a UN Security Council resolution expected soon to formalise the mandate. US planners have envisioned European troops — up to 1,500 British and 1,000 French soldiers, plus contributions from Germany, the Netherlands, and Nordic countries — handling security, logistics, and medical support. However, officials acknowledge that many European governments are unlikely to commit combat troops. Jordan has also rejected deploying troops.

The ISF would operate only within the green zone, starting with a few hundred troops and potentially expanding to 20,000. The western side of the “yellow line,” controlled by Hamas, would remain outside international oversight. Foreign troops might also man crossings along the line of control, a role likely to alarm potential contributors due to the risk of crossfire and accusations of supporting occupation.

Reconstruction within the green zone is intended to entice Palestinians to move there voluntarily, part of a gradual strategy to reunite Gaza. The US plans only a small initial Palestinian police force of 200 recruits, growing to 3,000–4,000 over a year, far fewer than the security presence envisaged.

The US approach echoes past failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, where “green zones” became isolated enclaves amid ongoing violence. Critics warn that using aid to lure civilians into an Israeli-controlled area may repeat previous mistakes.

A US official summarised the challenge: “As things progress and you create conditions for there to be significant progress on reconstruction, you [will] have Gazan civilians moving there beginning to thrive… No one’s talking about a military operation to force it.”

By Tamilla Hasanova