Peace Council Plans First Military Outpost in Gaza for Moroccan Troops

The Peace Council for the Gaza Strip has issued its first construction contract for a military outpost designed to house 150 soldiers from Morocco, according to a source cited by the British newspaper The Guardian. The contract, which has not yet been finalized, was awarded to Arkel International, a company with prior experience working for the U.S. government in countries such as Iraq. The outpost will cover an area of 100 by 120 meters and is intended to accommodate Moroccan troops rotating from bases in Israel. It will be located approximately 1.6 kilometers inside the Gaza Strip in an area under Israeli control and will feature a rapid evacuation route in case of attack.

An official involved with the council, which operates alongside a Palestinian technocratic team known as the National Committee for Gaza Management, stated that several contracts are nearing completion to support the International Stabilization Force (ISF). This force, authorized by a UN resolution, is tasked with implementing security and governance arrangements in Gaza. Morocco has pledged to contribute a small unit to the ISF, but the legal framework for the force and the timeline for deployment remain unresolved.

The Guardian also reviewed earlier contract plans indicating that this initial outpost is part of a broader strategy to establish a larger military base for the ISF, capable of housing up to 5,000 personnel. The larger base would include combat vehicle positions, a perimeter defense battery, and basic facilities suitable for short-term deployments. The initial phase involves temporary accommodations such as tents, field beds, chemical toilets, and handwashing stations, considered adequate for the troops' living conditions at this stage.