US Plot to Divide Gaza into Green and Red Zones

The US plan to establish a Green Zone in Gaza is reminiscent of its historical failures in Iraq and Afghanistan; a nightmare that will reduce the motivation of European countries to send peacekeeping forces to near zero.

News ID: 86900

Date: 16 November 2025 - 08:37

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The US is planning a long-term division of Gaza into a “Green Zone” and a “Red Zone.” According to the US plan, the Green Zone would be under Israeli and international military control, and its reconstruction would begin immediately. Still, the Red Zone would remain in ruins indefinitely.

The reconstruction of Gaza is one of the main ambiguities in Donald Trump’s plan, and the designation of a “Green Zone” for Gaza is reminiscent of America’s historical failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the Green Zones were enclosed by concrete walls and the occupying forces sought refuge there to escape the violence they themselves caused.

Almost all Palestinians have now been pushed into the Red Zone, where there is no plan for reconstruction. Sources have confirmed that peacekeepers will be stationed behind the Yellow Line in eastern Gaza, alongside Israeli troops.

“Ideally, the Gaza Strip should be unified. But that is only a wish. It will take time and it will not be easy,” said a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The current US planning raises many questions about Washington’s commitment to the ceasefire announced last month. Plans for Gaza’s future have changed so rapidly that they reflect the chaotic and improvised approach the US has taken to resolving one of the world’s most complex and difficult conflicts.

While the US has been trumpeting the construction of isolated camps for small Palestinian groups in recent weeks, it has now abandoned the idea without explanation. Now, without a practical plan for the deployment of peacekeepers, the withdrawal of the occupying army, and full reconstruction, Gaza is in complete limbo after two years of devastating war.

The creation of an international peacekeeping force is a central pillar of Trump’s 20-point plan to consolidate the ceasefire. The United States hopes to pass a draft UN Security Council resolution formalizing the peacekeeping mission as early as next week.

Trump has ruled out sending American troops to pave the way for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. “The United States has made it clear to everyone that it will only set the scene, but will not pay for it,” a diplomatic source said.

Earlier this month, the commander of CENTCOM drew up plans for a European contingent to join the peacekeeping force, including hundreds of UK, French, and German troops. The plan called for 1,500 UK infantrymen with expertise in bomb disposal and military medicine, along with 1,000 French troops, to clear roads and provide security.

Troops from Germany, the Netherlands, and Nordic countries were also expected to set up field hospitals, transport, and support. After the failed experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, European leaders are reluctant to risk their soldiers in Gaza. They are concerned about being caught in the crossfire between Hamas and Israel and fear that the mission will be seen by world opinion as supporting the Israeli occupation.

Jordan is also under pressure from the United States to send hundreds of soldiers and 3,000 police. However, King Abdullah II has explicitly rejected the deployment, arguing that his country is too politically close to Gaza. More than half of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian origin, and sending Jordanian troops to the ruins of Gaza would be a threat to Jordan’s national security.

The United States is set to begin a limited deployment of peacekeepers with a few hundred soldiers and gradually expand their number to 20,000 across the region. According to the US operational plan, the peacekeepers will serve only in the Green Zone. They will not operate on the western side of the “Yellow Line,” where Hamas has regained control.

More than 80 percent of Gaza’s buildings, including almost all schools and hospitals, have been damaged or destroyed in the war. More than a month after the ceasefire, Israel continues to restrict aid into Gaza, not even allowing basic data-x-items like tent poles.

Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are awaiting emergency shelter supplies, and hundreds of thousands more are living in tents without access to basic services like drinking water.