US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is planning to establish a pilot “humanitarian zone” in the Gaza Strip that could accommodate tens of thousands of Palestinians, Reuters reported, citing a board official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The project would move forward whether or not Hamas agrees to the plan’s second phase, the official said.
The proposed zone is the latest effort to revive Trump’s stalled post-ceasefire plan for Gaza, which calls for increased humanitarian aid, governance by a Palestinian technocratic committee, the disarmament of Hamas, and an Israeli military withdrawal. Negotiations on the plan’s second phase have yet to produce an agreement.
The “Board of Peace” official said the pilot humanitarian zone would serve as a test case for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), the Palestinian technocratic body envisioned under Trump’s plan, allowing it to exercise authority inside the enclave alongside a newly trained police force and an international stabilization force (ISF) made up of multinational troops.
The official did not specify to Reuters where the proposed zone would be located but said the board had identified secure areas where goods and services could be expanded to meet the humanitarian needs of Palestinians “willing” to relocate there.
The board is considering building the project in Rafah, southern Gaza, although no precise location has been identified and construction has not yet begun, Al Jazeera, citing Agence France-Presse, reported.
Humanitarian groups have raised concerns that enclosed zones of this kind could violate international humanitarian law, adding that aid aid should be distributed based on need and without discrimination.
On Monday, Hamas had announced the dissolution of its de facto government in Gaza and said it was ready to hand authority to NCAG. The Board of Peace said in a statement at the time that it had taken note of Hamas’ move but stressed that “ultimately, our assessment will be guided by actions, not promises,” while Israel dismissed the step as “a stunt,” according to Reuters.
Sky News Arabia quoted an unnamed board official as saying participation in the project would be voluntary and that entry would be subject to screening by NCAG with support from the ISF, while respecting land ownership rights. The official did not explain how the screening process would work.
The official added that the project is not contingent on an agreement with Hamas, although that would accelerate implementation and expansion. The board plans to raise private funding for the zone but has not provided a timeline, saying only that it intends to move quickly.
Reuters, citing sources close to the talks, reported that meetings on implementing the second phase involving Hamas leaders, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, and Board of Peace envoy to Gaza Nikolay Mladenov have yet to produce an agreement.
In November, an earlier relief program run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was shut down after the ceasefire, following criticism from the United Nations and other organizations over the deaths of Palestinians trying to reach its distribution sites.
Trump unveiled his plan after the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, but implementation has stalled. NCAG has remained outside the enclave, while Israel has continued military operations and announced plans to expand its control to 70% of Gaza, according to Reuters.
