Board of Peace Plans Gaza Pilot Zone Independent of Hamas Deal
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- The Board of Peace has identified secure areas in Gaza that could host tens of thousands of Palestinians with scaled-up goods and services as part of a pilot humanitarian zone.
- The pilot is explicitly not preconditioned on a phase-two deal with Hamas, though a deal would accelerate implementation, a board official said.
- Hamas dissolved its de facto Gaza government on July 6, 2026 and signaled readiness to hand over to NCAG technocrats, but Israel called the move a "stunt."
- Talks between Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Board envoy Nickolay Mladenov over phase two have yet to reach agreement, with the Board saying assessment would be "guided by actions, not promises."
- Israel continues military strikes in Gaza and plans to expand control to 70% of the enclave, where more than 2 million people face hunger, disease, and displacement.
- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel, was shut down after the ceasefire following U.N. criticism over Palestinian deaths at distribution points.
- Participation in the pilot is voluntary, with vetting by NCAG supported by the ISF multinational peacekeeping force, and the plan considers land ownership rights.
Why it matters: The Board is proceeding with its Gaza pilot despite no phase-two deal with Hamas, while Israel simultaneously plans to expand control to 70% of the enclave — two parallel tracks leaving 2 million Palestinians caught between competing visions of who governs the territory.
