The policy arena just got even messier, and honestly, the vibes are not good. The United States appears to be aligning itself with a controversial plan that could effectively split Gaza into two zones — one under Israeli control and one still under Hamas. On paper, the concept is wrapped in humanitarian language. In reality, it’s stirring deep anxiety, raising big geopolitical red flags, and leaving ordinary Palestinians wondering where exactly they’re supposed to exist in all this chaos.
At the centre of the storm is the proposed creation of “alternative safe communities” (ASCs), essentially large container-style compounds meant to house tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians. A US State Department spokesperson confirmed support for the ASC “approach,” describing it as the fastest route to “safe accommodations.” But critics — including aid agencies, Palestinian residents, diplomats, and analysts — argue the plan’s implications are massive and troubling.
Here’s the operational model being floated: Gaza would be carved into a “green zone” controlled by Israel and a “red zone” controlled by Hamas. Reconstruction efforts would focus solely on the Israeli-controlled side, leaving the bulk of Gaza — including Gaza City and central regions like Deir el-Balah, where millions still reside — without rebuilding support. That effectively strands people in ruin while incentivizing them to migrate into Israeli-run enclaves.
For Palestinians on the ground, the proposal feels detached from their lived reality. “What are they going to establish, with what infrastructure? Water? Electricity? It would take years,” one resident from Gaza City said, pointing out the logistical impossibility of relocating millions into temporary units.
More than 69,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, and although a ceasefire technically began more than a month ago, Israel has continued periodic strikes, killing hundreds more. Meanwhile, 92 percent of Gaza’s housing stock has been destroyed or severely damaged. With 1.9 million people displaced and winter approaching, families are clinging to tents and makeshift shelters.
Reconstruction is projected to cost at least $70 billion and stretch over decades. Yet even the first ASC compound is still months away from completion. Funding is also up in the air — the Trump administration had already ruled out financing such constructions, Israel hasn’t confirmed its stance, and Washington has avoided the question entirely.
On top of that, access to the “green zone” is expected to remain tightly controlled. Israeli authorities will conduct background checks, giving them leverage over who gets in and who doesn’t. Aid agencies worry this will violate humanitarian principles by distributing assistance based on location rather than need — effectively “rewarding” relocation to Israeli-controlled zones.
Diplomats warn that such a division could harden into something permanent. Think Baghdad’s Green Zone. Think Kabul. Not exactly models of stability or unity. Some Israeli politicians have already framed Gaza’s future in terms of settlement opportunities, with far-right figures openly imagining a “real estate bonanza” once Palestinians are pushed out.
Experts argue that any attempt to reshape Gaza without Palestinian input is doomed from the jump. “You can’t squeeze 2 million people into an even smaller space,” analysts say. Gaza’s history, culture, and trauma can’t just be engineered away with containers and checkpoints.
And for Palestinians living in the rubble — exhausted, grieving, and displaced — the plan feels like yet another foreign blueprint drawn over their lives without consultation. “No one has talked to us,” a resident said. “Do they just expect us to give up our homes and go live in a container?”
The road ahead is full of uncertainty — and the fear is growing that a temporary measure might evolve into a permanent redefinition of Gaza itself.