Israel has quietly approved the start of infrastructure work in eastern Rafah for a project known as “Green Rafah,” according to Israeli media. The initiative is backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz and is intended, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, as an Emirati-backed pilot for temporary housing described as being “free” of Hamas influence.
The Israeli military is expected to supervise water, sewage and electricity work in the area near the unilaterally imposed “Yellow Line,” while Palestinian workers face intensive Shin Bet security screening. Israeli authorities have also reportedly barred caravans or mobile homes from entering the area until at least November.
Why experts oppose the proposed zones
Palestinian political researcher Ahmed al-Atawneh said projects such as Green Rafah could create isolated cantons under Israeli administrative and security control. He argued that the approach treats Palestinians as residents rather than as people with a national political cause and could leave them facing submission, imprisonment or death if they resist, or emigration.
Al-Atawneh also questioned Arab participation in arrangements developed outside a unified Palestinian consensus, saying such involvement could serve Israel’s policy rather than provide genuine relief. His assessment reflects the broader warning in the report that the project could permanently reshape Gaza and fragment the enclave.
Related coverage: Israeli Gaza Pullback Depends on Hamas Disarmament, Board Says.
The dispute over housing and reconstruction
Army Radio reported the approval on Sunday as negotiations over Gaza’s post-war future remain stalled. Netanyahu said the same day that he rejected the 15-point Gaza plan announced last month by the United States-led Board of Peace, which calls for Hamas to disarm in stages and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza in phases. Netanyahu said Israel would not withdraw until Hamas was fully disarmed.
Palestinian researcher Mohammad Hamed al-Aila said a humanitarian protocol attached to a ceasefire agreement signed the previous year in Sharm el-Sheikh requires temporary housing and repairs to civilian infrastructure. He said Israel had not met those obligations and argued that blocking caravans and delaying reconstruction were part of a wider strategy of using Gaza’s humanitarian conditions as political pressure.
What is being discussed for an international force
Preparations are also reportedly advancing for a limited International Stabilization Force. Morocco and Uganda may each send about 200 troops, according to reports cited in the source, a far smaller deployment than earlier plans for a larger multinational force.
More context: Israel Escalates Military Operations in Gaza Despite US-Backed Ceasefire Roadmap.
The force’s role remains disputed. Al-Aila said Palestinians want it to protect them and help enforce agreements, while Israel wants it to support disarmament and pursue armed resistance. He said Palestinian acceptance would depend on whether the force protects Palestinians or operates under Israeli security control as an international cover for continued occupation.
The political response experts propose
Al-Atawneh said countering what he described as engineered fragmentation would require a unified Palestinian administration, a national-consensus government and political institutions rebuilt through genuine partnership. He criticised the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, saying they had not shown the will or capacity to unify the Palestinian political front.
Also read: What Netanyahu’s rejection means for Trump’s Gaza roadmap.
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