International focus is currently away from the Gaza Strip, but it has emerged that the Board of Peace, along with the organizations and figures operating under its umbrella, are trying to advance the Trump plan despite the difficulties. The main obstacle to the move was and remains Hamas' refusal to hand over its weapons, as stipulated in the plan, with the latest talks held in Cairo also failing to produce a formula acceptable to the organization's leaders.
Despite the deadlock on this issue, the Board of Peace is moving ahead with infrastructure for the next steps. Among other things, expert committees have prepared plans in a range of civilian fields, including education, infrastructure and rubble removal, ahead of the Gaza Strip's rehabilitation phase.
Israel Hayom has learned that the US military has begun building a huge base on the Gaza Strip border, not far from the Re'im camp. The base is intended to serve as a military and civilian headquarters for the organizations and forces that will arrive in the area to advance the Trump plan, and to replace the multinational headquarters that was located in Kiryat Gat. At the height of operations in Kiryat Gat, representatives from more than 24 countries staffed the multinational headquarters, including several Arab countries, but the overwhelming majority left when the war against Iran broke out.
As part of the infrastructure work at the new base, plans include the construction of a tower intended for command and control of forces in the field. It has also emerged that the Americans have already begun issuing various tenders for construction of the base, including tenders for the supply of mobile structures intended for use by the forces and headquarters until permanent buildings are established at the site.
Five countries have already approved sending troops
At this stage, five countries have agreed to send forces to the area: Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania. Three additional countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Azerbaijan, have expressed only a willingness in principle to join the move. However, most of the countries have now suspended their consent in practice due to the war with Iran, although Indonesia has said it is continuing to train its designated force, which numbers about 5,000 troops, ahead of the mission. Israel, it should be recalled, refuses to allow soldiers from hostile countries, such as Pakistan and Turkey, to arrive in the area.
According to security sources, the construction of the new US base is being fully coordinated with Israel, with the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces responsible for providing the necessary assistance and coordination on the ground. The assessment in Israel's security establishment is that the base could be staffed within a few months, but as long as there is no progress on the Hamas front, activity there will be limited to coordination and preparatory work on future plans only.
One security source told Israel Hayom that according to current assessments, the chance of renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip is greater than the possibility that Hamas will actually be disarmed through a diplomatic agreement.
