The Guardian: The US Plans to Divide the Gaza Strip into Two Zones 0 8

US military officials have prepared a plan to divide the Gaza Strip into two parts. In the "green" zone, controlled by international and Israeli forces, reconstruction will begin, while the "red" zone, where almost all of the Palestinian population will be relocated, will remain in ruins. This was reported by the British newspaper The Guardian on Friday, November 14, citing documents and sources.

According to a map published by the outlet, the "green zone" will be located in the east, south, and north of the strip along the border with Israel and Egypt. The inner part of the strip, facing the Mediterranean Sea, will become "red." Major cities such as Khan Younis, Gaza, and Deir al-Balah will fall within this area. The two zones will be separated by a "yellow line" - a boundary that the IDF forces retreated to after the peace agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh.

"Ideally, we would like everything to remain intact, wouldn’t we? But that is too ambitious," said an American official who spoke with The Guardian. According to him, it will be difficult to restore the entire Gaza Strip.

Voluntary Resettlement of Palestinians in the "Green Zone"

Reconstruction within the "green" zone is seen as "part of a nebulous path to reunification of the Gaza Strip," The Guardian writes. The idea behind the US military planning is to eventually persuade the Palestinian civilian population to voluntarily return to areas controlled by Israel. There are no plans for a military operation to enforce this, the American official told the newspaper.

At the same time, such plans draw parallels with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where "green zones" became synonymous with US military failures, The Guardian further notes. In Baghdad and Kabul, "green zones" represented enclaves surrounded by concrete barriers.

Plan to Involve Europeans in the Gaza Strip

Additionally, the US military command has prepared a plan to involve European military forces in international stabilization efforts in the Gaza Strip, the article states. Up to 1,500 British troops with experience in bomb disposal, up to 1,000 French demining specialists, as well as military personnel from Germany, the Netherlands, and Northern European countries are being considered to support field hospitals, logistics, and intelligence operations.

One of The Guardian's sources noted that the US does not expect European forces to make up the "core" of the contingent. One source described these plans as "nonsensical." After prolonged missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, few European leaders would be willing to risk their soldiers' lives in Gaza, although they have promised other support, the newspaper notes.