Israel blocks construction of Gaza base for international troops
A US project for a forward post with 150 troops is stalled because construction crews cannot enter Gaza.
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Israel is temporarily refusing to allow construction of a planned base for an international stabilisation force in Gaza. The Guardian reports this, citing information from someone with direct knowledge of the project; Israeli government bodies and the US Board of Peace have given no substantive response.
The project is intended to be the first physical component of the plan by the Donald Trump-led Board of Peace. The organisation wants to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza to provide security during a transition to governance and reconstruction.
According to The Guardian, the Board of Peace awarded a construction contract to the US company Arkel International in early August. It was to be a fortified post of approximately one hundred by one hundred metres, intended for the rotating deployment of around 150 international troops.
According to the source, contractors and lorries are not allowed to enter the Gaza Strip to begin the work. A spokesperson for the Board of Peace declined to comment. The Israeli military and the Israeli government also did not respond to questions from The Guardian.
The international troops would form part of a larger group of around 500 troops from Morocco and Kosovo, the same source said. According to the source, the base is needed before construction equipment, utilities and other elements of the reconstruction plan can be brought in safely.
The dispute is part of a broader impasse surrounding the US plan. The Associated Press reported earlier this month that implementation of agreements on international governance, Hamas’s disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal has largely stalled. Israel links further steps to Hamas’s disarmament; other parties involved want those elements implemented simultaneously.
The available information does not prove that Israel has definitively rejected the entire plan. The source expects construction may be allowed after Israel’s elections on 27 October, but no such decision has been announced. Nor is it clear when and under what mandate the international troops would actually be deployed.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- According to The Guardian, a project for a temporary base in Gaza is stalled.
- The planned post would accommodate around 150 international troops.
- Israel, the Israeli military and the Board of Peace did not substantively confirm the blockade.
- According to the AP, implementation of the broader transition plan for Gaza has stalled over, among other things, disarmament, governance and withdrawal.
Left
Arguments International reconstruction cannot credibly be said to be under way as long as Israel continues to determine access to and security in Gaza to a significant extent. An international force must also operate under clear international and Palestinian oversight, not solely under American direction.
Values Palestinian self-determination, humanitarian access, international law and democratic oversight.
Consequences Without political legitimacy, a force could mainly entrench existing power relations and delay reconstruction further.
Centre
Arguments Security and reconstruction depend on each other. A workable approach therefore requires a clear mandate, agreements on Israeli withdrawal, Palestinian governance and the disarmament of armed groups.
Values Institutional feasibility, legal certainty and the protection of civilians.
Consequences A phased deployment could limit risks, but would take time and require concessions from all parties involved.
Right
Arguments Israel must prevent an international force from giving Hamas or other armed groups room to operate without adequate controls. Foreign troops can only be admitted once security conditions and disarmament have been arranged.
Values National security, order and rejection of foreign pressure on a sovereign security decision.
Consequences A strict condition could increase security for Israel, but would hold back reconstruction and humanitarian improvement in Gaza for longer.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text clearly distinguishes between confirmed project details and information from a single anonymous source. The broader impasse surrounding the US plan has been described independently by the AP.
- uncertain Israel has not allowed construction of a planned Gaza base for international troops. — The Guardian bases this on a source with direct knowledge; Israel did not respond substantively. source
- confirmed Arkel International received a construction contract in early August for a post for around 150 troops. — Described by The Guardian; the precise contract status and implementation remain uncertain. source
- confirmed The Board of Peace wants to play a role in the governance, security and reconstruction of Gaza. — The AP described the plan and the proposed international force. source
- confirmed Israel links further steps to Hamas’s disarmament. — The AP describes this as one of the causes of the impasse. source
Editor's note
The blockade and construction plans are based on a source with direct knowledge, as cited by The Guardian. Israel and the Board of Peace did not confirm the substance of the report; the force’s size, timing and future have therefore been described cautiously.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „gaza israël”
- De Telegraaf — „gaza israël”
- AD — „gaza israël”