by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – The U.S.-backed Board of Peace is preparing to launch a pilot program in the coming weeks to manage humanitarian shelters in parts of the Gaza Strip not controlled by Hamas, beginning in Tel Sultan near Rafah, according to an exclusive report by Israel Hayom.
Under the plan, civilians with no weapons or Hamas affiliation would be directed into designated humanitarian zones, where food, medical aid, and basic services would be provided. Multinational forces operating under the Board of Peace are expected to deploy near Gaza and be stationed at Camp Amitai, where they would reportedly be equipped with nonlethal weapons to maintain order inside the shelters.
The Israel Defense Forces would continue holding positions beyond the so-called yellow line while expanding pressure on Hamas-held territory. Officials familiar with the plan said the objective is to weaken Hamas not only militarily, but by separating the terror group from the civilian population it has long exploited as a shield.
The initiative appears to implement Section 17 of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, which allows for temporary rehabilitation in areas free of Hamas control. Officials told Israel Hayom that concrete will not be allowed for full reconstruction at this stage; instead, caravans and essential services will be provided in areas deemed secure.
The move remains controversial. Residents of Israeli communities near the Gaza border have warned that humanitarian shelters should not be established while Hamas remains armed. Supporters inside Israel’s political and security establishment argue the opposite: that creating Hamas-free zones is a necessary step toward dismantling the terror group’s grip over Gaza.
Board of Peace officials also said civilians would not be forced to remain in the shelters and could return to Hamas-controlled areas if they choose. However, security officials warned that Hamas may attempt to manipulate civilian movement, as it has done around aid distribution sites.
A political source told Israel Hayom that Israel is operating within American constraints while increasing targeted strikes against Hamas operatives and preventing the terror group from reconstituting its military capabilities.
Officials also said the Board of Peace will not allow a technocratic committee to enter Hamas-controlled areas while the terror organization remains armed, warning that doing so could create a Lebanon-style model in Gaza, where a terror group maintains real power behind a civilian political structure.
“No one intends to wait for Hamas,” officials familiar with the board’s work told Israel Hayom.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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