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The US President's Board of Peace is reportedly planning a pilot "humanitarian zone" in southern Gaza, intended to accommodate tens of thousands of vetted Palestinian civilians, an official familiar with the plan told AFP.

This proposed zone could function as an initial base for the Palestinian technocratic committee, tasked with managing Gaza's day-to-day governance during a transitional phase out of the ongoing conflict, as outlined in President Trump's 20-point plan. The board is considering Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, as a potential location for this pilot zone. Security would be provided by multinational troops from the fledgling International Stabilization Force (ISF), which operates under the Board of Peace. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), composed of Palestinian technocrats established by the Board of Peace, would oversee screening and access control, with ISF support.

The concept of designated humanitarian zones has been discussed for months and has generated significant reservations. Diplomats and NGO officials working in Gaza, speaking anonymously, expressed concerns that such mechanisms might be incompatible with international humanitarian law. However, the board official insisted that "Movement in and out will remain free for all unarmed civilians."

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Movement in and out will remain free for all unarmed civilians.

Efforts to advance the US-backed Gaza ceasefire plan have stalled for months, with the NCAG currently in Cairo and yet to formally enter the territory. Since the truce between Israel and Hamas took effect last October, Israeli forces have expanded their control over Gaza, now occupying more than 60 percent of the territory. The official described the pilot project as a potential starting point for the NCAG, enabling tens of thousands of Palestinians to voluntarily relocate to the area, where they could begin exercising effective governance.

The board is "looking at Rafah" for the project but has provided vague details on its exact positioning, and no construction has yet commenced. The plan aims to provide a space for governance and administration under the NCAG, though its implementation faces significant logistical and legal challenges.

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There’s one pilot project we’re looking at particularly, that maybe you can get the NCAG a starting point, you can enable tens of thousands to come if they wish voluntarily to this area, and you start giving them a space where they exercise effective governance and they’re the administration.