Gaza Reconstruction Plan Scaled Down to Rafah Pilot Project

The Trump‑backed Board of Peace’s Gaza recovery plan, originally a full‑territory reconstruction blueprint, has been reduced to a limited pilot scheme in the southern city of Rafah. The pilot envisions a temporary camp for a small fraction of the roughly 2 million displaced Palestinians, administered by a Palestinian authority and protected by a modest International Stabilization Force composed of officers from Morocco and Kosovo. A logistical base is being prepared at the Kerem Shalom crossing, but satellite imagery shows no construction on the camp site and work is not expected to begin before Israel’s 27 October elections. Funding remains far short of the US$ 17 billion pledged, with only a small portion released. Diplomatic sources warn that a new Israeli government could either enable progress or, if a far‑right coalition remains, trigger a renewed offensive that would likely destroy the pilot effort. The plan’s scaling back reflects both logistical hurdles and political uncertainty amid ongoing violations of the cease‑fire and Israeli control of more than 60 % of Gaza.