Israel approves ‘Green Rafah’ infrastructure scheme to reshape Gaza’s future

Israel has authorized the start of water, sewage and electricity works in eastern Rafah, a project dubbed “Green Rafah” that critics say will further fragment the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s government gave the go-ahead for a new infrastructure project in eastern Rafah, calling it “Green Rafah” and framing it as an Emirati-sponsored pilot to set up temporary housing outside Hamas control. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz back the effort, which will see the Israeli military install water, sewage and power systems while Palestinian laborers undergo intensive Shin Bet security checks.

The authorities have prohibited the entry of caravans or mobile homes until at least November, reinforcing the perception that the plan seeks to shrink the civilian footprint. Palestinian researchers such as Ahmed al-Atawneh and Mohammad Hamed al-Aila argue the scheme is designed to carve the enclave into isolated cantons, pressuring residents to submit, face repression, or leave. They also note the project contravenes ceasefire-linked humanitarian protocols that call for temporary housing and reconstruction. Parallel talks about a limited International Stabilization Force, with small contingents from Morocco and Uganda, further highlight divergent Israeli and Palestinian expectations for any external security presence.