WSJ: US advances "green zone" initiative to shield Gazans from Hamas

The United States is moving ahead with plans to build new communities for Palestinians in areas of Gaza under Israeli control, in a bid to provide safe housing and basic services while bypassing Hamas, officials say.

Teams of American engineers have begun clearing sites and assessing infrastructure in the so-called “green zone” along the Israeli-controlled half of Gaza, Caliber. Az reports via The Wall Street Journal.

The initiative aims to offer civilians displaced by the recent conflict access to housing, schools, and hospitals, while creating a model for future reconstruction.

The project acknowledges that dislodging Hamas, as envisioned under President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, is unlikely in the near term. Most of Gaza remains under Hamas control, where the group’s popularity has grown since the cease-fire due to its crackdown on crime and stance against Israel.

Plans for the first communities are focused on Rafah, a heavily damaged city on the border with Egypt. The area remains tense, with around 100 Hamas militants reportedly hiding in tunnels, posing ongoing security challenges. Israel has fortified the line separating its forces from Hamas-held areas, while U.S. officials have begun laying essential infrastructure for the new settlements.

The plan has raised concerns in some Arab capitals, with Egypt wary that concentrating Gazans in Rafah could lead to pressure on its border. Questions over how to vet residents and secure the communities also remain unresolved, complicating future phases of reconstruction.

U.S. officials hope that over time, the areas controlled by Hamas will shrink, allowing an international stabilisation force and Palestinian police to manage security, with civilian administration eventually overseen by Trump’s proposed Board of Peace.

Hamas, however, continues to resist disarmament and has criticised the initiative for undermining Palestinian political rights.

By Aghakazim Guliyev