Egyptian Contractors Begin "Green Rafah" Project Under IDF Supervision

Egyptian contractors have entered the Gaza Strip, within the "yellow line" area, accompanied by the IDF, to begin surveying for the construction of "Green Rafah." This project, intended for tens of thousands of Gazans in an area outside Hamas control, is funded and managed by the United Arab Emirates. The contractors commenced engineering survey work in eastern Rafah on Tuesday, preparing for infrastructure development and ground-breaking. Their operation, lasting several hours, took place within the specified zone under the approval and coordination of the Southern Command, with IDF forces providing escort and aerial surveillance.

This initiative aligns with statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, who have indicated that reconstruction efforts in Gaza will not proceed without the disarmament of Hamas. According to reports, the Israeli political echelon has approved the advancement of the "Green Rafah" project, which is expected to be established in the coming months in eastern Rafah. The neighborhood is planned to house tens of thousands of Gaza residents in an area not under Hamas's authority, but rather under the control of a multinational force. The UAE is both funding and managing the "Green Rafah" project. The authorization for the Egyptian contractors' entry into the territory was granted the day after Netanyahu's visit to the UAE.