US plans 5,000-troop military base in southern Gaza for multinational stability force

The United States administration is advancing plans to establish a military complex in the Gaza Strip capable of housing 5,000 personnel, according to contractual records from the “Board of Peace.” The proposed facility, spanning more than 350 decares, is designed to serve as the primary operational hub for a future International Stability Force (ISF)—a multinational military contingent envisioned to oversee the enclave’s transition.

The ISF functions as a core component of the newly formed Board of Peace, a body tasked with the governance of Gaza. The board is chaired by Donald Trump, with his son-in-law Jared Kushner playing a central role in its strategic direction.

Blueprints reviewed by The Guardian indicate that the outpost will be constructed in phases, eventually reaching an expansive footprint of 1,400 meters by 1,100 meters. The perimeter will be fortified by 26 trailer-mounted armored observation towers, a small-arms firing range, reinforced bunkers, and specialized depots for military equipment. The entire installation is to be secured by concertina wire.

The complex is slated for construction on an arid plain in southern Gaza.

According to The Guardian, which also reviewed video footage of the designated site, a source familiar with the project noted that a select group of international construction firms—all possessing extensive experience in high-conflict environments—have already conducted on-site inspections.

The United Nations Security Council previously granted the Board of Peace the mandate to establish the provisional International Stability Force. Under the UN framework, the ISF’s primary mission is to secure Gaza’s borders and maintain regional stability. Its responsibilities also encompass the protection of civilians and the training and support of “vetted Palestinian police forces.”

However, critical ambiguities remain regarding the ISF’s rules of engagement should Israel resume military operations or in the event of renewed attacks by Hamas. Furthermore, it remains unclear what role the force will play in the disarmament of Hamas—a prerequisite demanded by Israel before it proceeds with the broader reconstruction of the territory.

A person with knowledge of the matter stated that the military base contract was drafted by the Board of Peace with technical assistance from US contracting officials.

Detailed plans for the facility include a subterranean network of bunkers, each measuring 6 meters by 4 meters with a height of 2.5 meters, outfitted with advanced ventilation systems for personnel protection. The contract mandates that the primary contractor perform geophysical surveys at every phase of construction to identify “subterranean voids, tunnels, or large cavities”—a provision clearly intended to address the extensive tunnel network established by Hamas.

One section of the document outlines a “Human Remains Protocol,” which stipulates that work must immediately cease if suspected human remains or cultural artifacts are discovered. In such instances, the site must be secured, and the contracting officer notified for further instruction. The Gaza Civil Defense agency estimates that approximately 10,000 Palestinians remain buried under rubble across the enclave.

While the ownership of the land designated for the base remains contested, much of the southern Gaza region is currently under the control of the Israeli military.

Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and former peace negotiator, characterized the construction of a foreign military installation on Palestinian land without sovereign consent as an act of occupation. “Whose permission did they seek to build that military base?” she asked.