Israel is blocking the construction of a military base in the Gaza Strip intended to house international troops under US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, delaying a key component of plans to stabilise and rebuild the Palestinian territory following Israel's genocidal war, according to a report by The Guardian.
The British newspaper reported on Wednesday that Israeli authorities had refused to allow contractors and construction vehicles into Gaza, more than two months after the US-led body awarded its first construction contract for the territory.
In early August, the Board of Peace, established following the October 2025 ceasefire and chaired by Trump, awarded Louisiana-based Arkel International a contract to construct a fortified military outpost capable of accommodating 150 international troops.
The troops were intended to form the advance contingent of an international stabilisation force tasked with providing security for reconstruction efforts.
However, a source with direct knowledge of the project told The Guardian that Israel has continued to prevent work from beginning.
"Israel won't open the border," the source said.
The proposed base would cover an area of approximately 10,000 square metres, measuring 100 metres by 100 metres, on land previously used by the now-defunct Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The controversial US-backed aid organisation operated in Gaza between May and October 2025, distributing humanitarian assistance under the protection of private security contractors.
According to the report, the new military facility would accommodate rotating deployments of 150 armed troops drawn from a larger contingent of 500 personnel already sent from Morocco and Kosovo.
Israel's refusal to authorise construction threatens to derail the wider Board of Peace programme, with the international stabilisation force considered essential to securing reconstruction sites and allowing equipment and basic services into Gaza.
"You can't get in without [an international stabilization force (ISF)]. You can't rebuild," the source told The Guardian.
"There's no security. There's no deliveries of construction equipment. You can't even start putting utilities. You can't start putting in basic life-support facilities you know because without the ISF you can't go in."
The source said the Board of Peace believes the Israeli government may allow the project to proceed after the country's parliamentary elections, scheduled for 27 October.
The Israeli government, military and Board of Peace have declined to comment on the reported obstruction.
Gaza reconstruction plans face further delays
The latest setback comes as the Trump-led body seeks to implement an ambitious reconstruction programme for Gaza, much of which has been devastated by Israel's military offensive.
On 23 September, the Board of Peace unveiled a six-month, $2.45 billion recovery plan, described as the first stage of a broader reconstruction effort expected to cost approximately $71 billion over the next decade.
The announcement followed discussions involving the commander of the international stabilisation force, General Jasper Jeffers, board members and other stakeholders.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff sit on the board's executive committee, while Trump has been designated its chair for life.
The initiative has attracted criticism over its governance structure and proposals for Gaza's future, including plans presented by Kushner envisioning luxury waterfront developments and high-rise buildings in the devastated territory.
Despite the ceasefire reached in October 2025, Israel has continued carrying out attacks across Gaza, killing approximately 1,400 Palestinians since the agreement took effect, according to Gaza's health authorities.