Israel Prepares High-Tech Camp in Southern Gaza

The city of Rafah in southern Gaza has seen extensive damage, with reports now emerging of plans for a large-scale Palestinian camp in the area.

Israel has cleared land in southern Gaza to construct a large-scale camp for Palestinians that could be equipped with surveillance and facial recognition technology at its entrance, according to a retired Israeli general who advises the military.

Retired Brigadier-General Amir Avivi, founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, stated that the camp would be built in a part of Rafah that has been cleared of Hamas tunnels. He noted that Israeli personnel would track all entry and exit.

While Avivi's forum represents thousands of military reservists, he does not officially speak for the Israeli military, which declined to comment on the matter. The Israeli prime minister's office also did not provide immediate comment on any plans for a camp in Rafah.

According to Avivi, the facility would serve Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza for Egypt as well as those who choose to remain. These comments align with Israel's preparations for a "limited reopening" of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a central part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to resolve the Gaza war. Sources have previously indicated that Israel aims to ensure more Palestinians leave Gaza than are permitted to enter.

A High-Surveillance Hub in Rafah?

Israeli officials have previously discussed encouraging Gazans to emigrate, though they deny any intention of forcibly transferring the population—a highly sensitive issue for Palestinians.

Avivi noted that Rafah is almost entirely empty of Gazans, as the area fell under Israeli military control after the October ceasefire, prompting most Palestinians to flee to Hamas-held territories.

"You need to build infrastructure in Rafah that can host them, and then they can choose if they want to go or not," Avivi explained. He described the potential structure as "a big, organized camp" with the capacity to hold hundreds of thousands of people, where ID checks, including facial recognition, could be enforced.

These plans echo earlier statements. In July, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz told local media that he had instructed troops to prepare a camp in Rafah for Gaza's population, although officials have not publicly discussed the plans since.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of the Hamas-run media office in Gaza, condemned the idea, stating it was a cover for "forced displacement."

Countdown to Renewed Conflict

The situation in Gaza remains tense. The enclave's 2 million residents, affected by two years of Israeli attacks, face severe restrictions on movement and are monitored by Israeli surveillance agencies. Following the ceasefire, most of the population has been confined to a coastal strip where Hamas maintains control.

The second phase of the Trump plan calls for Gaza's reconstruction to begin in Rafah, contingent on Hamas disarming in exchange for further Israeli troop withdrawals.

Avivi warned that Israel's military is preparing for a new offensive against Hamas if the group refuses to surrender its weapons. This could involve renewed attacks on Gaza City. He suggested the proposed camp could be used to house Palestinians fleeing a new Israeli assault.

"Plans are set. The army is ready to get the command from the government, from the cabinet to renew its maneuvers in Gaza," Avivi said.

Since the ceasefire, Israeli military operations have continued, which Israel describes as necessary to stop militant attacks and destroy Hamas's tunnel network. Health authorities in Gaza report that Israeli attacks have killed over 480 Palestinians since the ceasefire, while the Israeli military has reported four soldiers killed in militant attacks.

The Disarmament Dilemma

The issue of disarmament could push the region back into open conflict. Avi Dichter, a minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet and former head of Israel's domestic intelligence, said disputes over this issue could lead Israel back to war.

"We have to get prepared for the war in Gaza," Dichter stated, adding that the disarmament issue "will have to be solved by Israeli troops, the hard way."

Hamas has publicly rejected any demands to lay down its arms. Two Hamas officials confirmed this week that they have not received any detailed disarmament proposal from Washington or other mediators.

According to a White House document, the Trump administration wants heavy weapons decommissioned immediately, with personal arms registered and later decommissioned as an interim technocratic police force becomes capable of ensuring security. A U.S. official added on Tuesday that disarmament might be accompanied by some form of amnesty for Hamas members.

However, Prime Minister Netanyahu told Israel's parliament on Monday that reconstruction is not on the immediate agenda. "The next phase is demilitarization of the Strip and disarming Hamas," he declared.