Trump administration to build 350-acre US base in war-scarred Gaza: Report
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump administration to build 350-acre US base in war-scarred Gaza: Report")
US President Donald Trump holds a gavel during a signing ceremony at the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace" at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on February 19, 2026. Inset: AI generated illustration of what the military base may look like Photograph: (Combination created using images from AFP and Grok)
The Donald Trump administration is reportedly planning a 350 acre military base in southern Gaza to house up to 5,000 personnel under the new Board of Peace. All you need to know.
The Donald Trump administration, as per reports, is planning to construct a large military base in southern Gaza. The proposed installation would span more than 350 acres and house up to 5,000 personnel.
A US military base in Gaza?
According to a The Guardian report, the Board of Peace contracting records show that the military base is being envisioned as a military operating base for a future International Stabilization Force.
The base is envisioned as the operational hub of a multinational force operating under the newly created Board of Peace, an entity chaired by US President Donald Trump and reportedly led in part by his son-in-law Jared Kushner. The United Nations Security Council has authorised the Board to establish a temporary stabilisation mission in Gaza, tasked with securing borders, protecting civilians and supporting vetted Palestinian police units.
How big would the compound be?
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According to the documents, the compound would measure roughly 1,400 by 1,100 meters and be surrounded by barbed wire and 26 armoured watchtowers. Plans include bunkers with reinforced ventilation systems, a small-arms range, and storage facilities for military equipment. "The Contractor," reads the document, "shall conduct a geophysical survey of the site to identify any subterranean voids, tunnels, or large cavities per phase," a likely reference to Hamas’s extensive tunnel network.
The site is described as a flat, arid stretch of land in southern Gaza, an area heavily damaged during the conflict.
Human Remains Protocol
According to the Guardian, one section of the proposal outlines a "Human Remains Protocol" that requires work to stop if suspected remains are discovered. "If suspected human remains or cultural artefacts are discovered, all work in the immediate area must cease immediately, the area must be secured, and the Contracting Officer must be notified immediately for direction". Gaza authorities have said thousands of bodies remain buried beneath rubble.
Also read | Vatican snubs Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace invitation over governance concerns; Leavitt hits back at Pope
Indonesia has reportedly offered up to 8,000 troops for the stabilisation force, and more than 20 countries have signed onto the Board of Peace. However, several governments, and most recently the Pope, have declined to participate, and critics have questioned the Board's governance structure, noting that its charter appears to grant Trump permanent leadership.
