Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is planning a pilot humanitarian zone for Palestinians in Gaza, an official says, as part of efforts to restart a broader US-backed peace plan that has stalled. Multiple outlets report that the board has identified “secure” areas within Gaza that could accommodate tens of thousands of people. The proposed zone is described as a way to scale up humanitarian goods and services for those who choose to move there, while reducing immediate needs during the ongoing conflict.
Reuters and other reports say the pilot is intended to act as an initial step toward future governance arrangements tied to the peace plan, including a Palestinian technocratic body that would take on day-to-day administration as Gaza transitions out of wartime conditions. One report adds that the pilot could proceed whether or not an agreement is reached with Hamas on a later phase of the peace plan.
Separately, The Hindu reports that Hamas has announced it dissolved its de facto government and signalled readiness to hand over to a governance body referred to as NCAG, while continuing to press Israel to meet other elements of the stalled plan. Sources do not provide detailed specifics of the zone’s location in the available reporting.
