Israel is blocking contractors and trucks from entering Gaza and delaying the next phase of President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council” plan, according to a British report. The Guardian reported that Jerusalem is preventing the establishment of a main base and outpost for 150 international troops from Morocco and Kosovo, who are meant to form the spearhead of a broader international stabilization force in the Strip.
According to the report, the Peace Council already approved its first construction contract in Gaza in early August, with the American company Arkel International from Louisiana. The company was supposed to build a fortified military outpost covering roughly 100 by 100 meters, which would serve as a support point for the foreign forces and enable them to begin deploying on the ground. But nearly two months later, work has yet to begin, and sources involved in the details claim Israel is refusing to open the border and is not allowing trucks and equipment to enter.
The British newspaper reported that without establishing the outpost and the arrival of the international stabilization force, the start of the broader rehabilitation plan in Gaza is effectively blocked—including bringing in construction equipment and connecting infrastructure. The report also claimed that Peace Council officials estimate Jerusalem is delaying the sensitive project for political reasons, and that it may only be reconsidered after Israel’s elections.