Gaza Board of Peace's first construction deal is for military base

The Board of Peace for Gaza has awarded its first construction contract, a provisional deal to build a military outpost for 150 Moroccan troops in the territory, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The contract, not yet finalized, went to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based company that has previously worked for the U.S. Government in Iraq and other countries.

A Board of Peace official said the organization and the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of Gaza were "in the final stages of preparing several contract awards," Though none have been completed. The official described one prospective contract as concerning "facilities to support the international stabilization force, which will assist in implementing the roadmap's security and governance arrangements," And noted "This contract will be one of many that are essential for the future of Gaza."

The planned outpost would measure 100 by 120 meters and house Moroccan soldiers rotating from a base inside Israel. It would be situated in an Israeli-controlled section of Gaza about 1.6 kilometers from the Israeli border, with a "quick extraction route" For evacuation if needed.

A UN resolution authorized both the Board of Peace and an International Stabilization Force for Gaza. Several countries have been discussed as potential contributors, with Morocco pledging a contingent, though the ISF's legal framework remains incomplete and troop deployment timing is unclear.

Earlier contracting plans described the 150-person outpost as the first phase of a larger military base intended to accommodate 5,000 members of the international force, with vehicle fighting positions, defensive perimeter and basic facilities. The initial stage would include "tents and cots for forces to sleep, as well as chemical toilets and handwashing stations," With plans stating "At this phase, this is what we would consider habitable."

This represents a significant shift from earlier reconstruction proposals. In January, a master plan for a "New Gaza" Featuring waterfront development and large-scale economic projects was unveiled. That territory-wide plan was later drastically reduced to a small pilot project in southern Gaza.