The U.S. and Israel are backing a plan that would divide the Gaza Strip into two zones — one administered by Israel, the other left temporarily under Hamas authority, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
Under the proposal, Israel would oversee a rebuilt and demilitarized section of Gaza where reconstruction and international aid could flow freely.
The Hamas-run area, by contrast, would be excluded from large-scale assistance until the terrorist group is disarmed and removed from power, the Journal reported, citing U.S. and Israeli officials involved in discussions.
American officials told the Journal that the strategy is designed to weaken Hamas by isolating it politically and economically.
The aim is to create an incentive structure — prosperity and rebuilding for areas under Israeli supervision, and deprivation and isolation for those still under Hamas rule — until the group relinquishes its weapons and control.
Supporters of the plan inside Israel have described it as a pragmatic way to erode Hamas' power while beginning to restore normal life in parts of Gaza. They say that successful reconstruction under Israeli security could demonstrate a model for eventual stability throughout the territory.
Critics, however, warn that the arrangement risks turning Gaza into a permanently divided territory, similar to the fragmented zones of the West Bank.
Regional governments and humanitarian agencies quoted by the Journal said they fear the proposal could cement long-term Israeli control and delay prospects for Palestinian self-determination.
The report said the U.S. plan does not specify who would govern or police the Israeli-administered zone, though ideas include a transitional authority supported by Arab states and international monitors. The details remain fluid, and negotiations are ongoing.
Hamas has not agreed to the arrangement. Palestinian representatives told the Journal they view the plan as an attempt to strip Gaza of sovereignty and reward Israel's occupation.
The proposal marks one of the first concrete postwar frameworks discussed publicly between Washington and Jerusalem. As reported by the Journal, it envisions a Gaza gradually rebuilt under Israeli oversight while Hamas' authority withers — ending only when the group is disarmed and removed from power.
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