Board of Peace Plans Pilot Humanitarian Zone in Rafah

The Board of Peace, established under U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan, is planning a pilot humanitarian zone in Rafah. The initiative aims to accommodate tens of thousands of vetted Palestinian civilians and provide a starting point for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a group of Palestinian technocrats currently based in Cairo tasked with day-to-day governance during a transitional phase.

Security for the zone will be provided by the International Stabilization Force (ISF), a multinational body including troops from Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, and Kazakhstan. The ISF will act as a buffer between civilians and the Israeli military. While the board specifies that the Israeli Defense Forces will have no role in screening or administration, the NCAG and ISF will conduct security vetting to prevent militants from entering.

Hamas recently announced the dissolution of its governing body to facilitate the handover of power to the NCAG. However, Hamas leadership has rejected the peace plan's requirement for disarmament as a precondition for reconstruction. Israel dismissed the dissolution of the Hamas government as a "stunt" and continues military strikes, stating it intends to expand its control to 70 percent of the Gaza Strip. Diplomats and NGO officials have raised concerns that these zones may constitute forced displacement and conflict with international humanitarian law.