A newly revealed US plan to restructure Gaza could institutionalise the division of the territory, effectively confining more than two million Palestinians to devastated zones while establishing a fortified “green zone” under joint Israeli and international control. Internal documents indicate that Washington aims to formalise a partition along a line dictated by Israel, leaving most of Gaza’s population displaced and unable to return home safely.

The plan envisions foreign troops stationed alongside Israeli forces in the east, while Palestinians remain in the western sector, largely abandoned and in ruins. Previous American proposals, including “alternative safe communities” and partial reconstruction schemes, were developed without Palestinian input and failed to address the humanitarian disaster that has intensified since October 2023. Observers warn that, without credible frameworks for Israeli withdrawal, peacekeeping, or large-scale reconstruction, Gaza risks being trapped in a limbo of neither war nor peace.

Even proposals for limited international stabilisation forces face major obstacles. The US has ruled out sending its own soldiers or funding reconstruction, while European contributions were rejected as politically unrealistic. Plans to deploy Jordanian troops were similarly blocked due to domestic sensitivities. Analysts note parallels with past US interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, where “green zones” became isolated fortresses amid surrounding devastation. The proposed strategy appears designed to draw Palestinians into the controlled zone, effectively conditioning their future on compliance with Israeli authority rather than sovereignty or self-determination.

With over 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed, including nearly all schools and hospitals, the plan does little to address the urgent humanitarian needs. Humanitarian aid remains restricted, with essential tents, water filters, and construction materials blocked. Approximately 1.5 million Palestinians still lack emergency shelter, while more than two million remain confined to the zone designated as “red” under the plan, facing continued hardship and uncertainty.