Israeli Peace Council Plans Pilot to Relocate Gaza Population Beyond Hamas Control Before Full Disarmament

The Israeli Peace Council is advancing a pilot program to relocate part of Gaza's population beyond the "yellow line," into areas outside Hamas control, aiming to weaken the terrorist group even before its full disarmament. Sources familiar with the planning told N12 that the initiative is not about rebuilding Gaza but about transferring residents to zones with better humanitarian conditions, under local forces unaffiliated with Hamas or ISIS, supported by the International Security Force (ISF).

Discussions between the Peace Council, mediators, and Hamas regarding full disarmament have stalled, prompting the council to prepare for the next phase independently. The pilot, expected to begin by next winter, involves establishing new communities, including a "Emirati neighborhood" in southern Gaza, with light construction such as caravans and improved infrastructure. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are actively clearing the areas for this purpose.

The ISF, composed of troops from countries including Morocco, Albania, Kosovo, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan under U.S. supervision, will maintain order without direct IDF contact with civilians. The Peace Council emphasizes that residents will be free to move in and out of these zones, which are distant from Israeli borders and population centers.

Israel insists that Gaza's reconstruction will only proceed after Hamas is fully disarmed, as outlined in former U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan. The council and Israeli officials remain skeptical of Hamas's recent announcement to dissolve its emergency government committee, viewing it as a tactic to maintain military dominance while ceding civilian administration to technocrats.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar criticized Hamas's move as a ploy to avoid disarmament, reaffirming Israel's commitment to the Trump plan's core demand for one authority, one law, and one weapon under the technocratic committee's control. The Peace Council continues negotiations with Hamas, demanding complete control over all weapons and tunnels in Gaza before any transfer of authority occurs. Ali Shatat, head of the technocratic committee, stated the committee will only assume governance once a unified security apparatus is established, signaling no entry without Hamas's disarmament despite the current governance vacuum.