The Gaza Board of Peace has moved ahead with the first contract for building a military base in the Gaza Strip, intended to house a force of around 150 Moroccan soldiers, according to a report by the British newspaper The Guardian, citing a source familiar with the planning. The i24News outlet also reported the story.
According to the British paper, the contract has not yet received final approval and has been awarded to Arkel International, a company that has previously handled projects on behalf of the U.S. government, including in Iraq.
Base for 150 Moroccan Soldiers
According to The Guardian, the military installation will be built in an Israeli-controlled area of the Gaza Strip, roughly 1.6 kilometers from the Israeli border.
The base will measure roughly 100 by 120 meters and will be able to house a force of around 150 Moroccan soldiers, who would rotate in from a base located inside Israel. The design also includes a dedicated rapid-evacuation route, allowing the force to withdraw quickly in case of a threat.
Part of the Plan for “Postwar” Gaza
According to The Guardian, the project is part of the broader planning of the Gaza Board of Peace, a body tasked with developing proposals for the security and governance model for the region once the war in the Palestinian enclave ends.
As part of that effort, officials are examining the deployment of a multinational force that would help maintain security and support Gaza’s reconstruction in the aftermath.
So far, there has been no official confirmation from Israel or Morocco regarding the plan.
