Board of Peace advances pilot humanitarian zone in Rafah

The U.S.-backed Board of Peace is moving forward with plans to establish a pilot humanitarian zone in Rafah, southern Gaza, as a foundational step to implement its stalled postwar plan for the territory. The initiative, confirmed by officials on Wednesday, aims to create a secure area administered by Palestinian technocrats and protected by multinational troops, intended to house tens of thousands of vetted civilians.

The zone is designed as an operational starting point for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), the Palestinian technocratic body slated to oversee civilian administration during Gaza's transitional phase. Under the framework, the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), a multinational peacekeeping contingent, would secure the perimeter, acting as a buffer between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces. Officials emphasized that the Israeli military would have no role in managing the zone or screening civilians, a point on which Israeli authorities did not immediately comment.

Participation in the zone would be voluntary, with the NCAG, supported by the ISF, responsible for screening entrants to prevent armed individuals from entering....