Trump’s Board of Peace awards first Gaza construction contract

President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has issued its first construction contract in the Gaza Strip, awarding a project to build a military outpost for 150 Moroccan troops as part of the planned International Stabilization Force, according to reporting by The Guardian cited across multiple outlets. The development came the same day Uganda's parliament voted to approve deploying its own forces to the multinational mission.newarab+4

The Outpost

The contract was awarded to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based engineering firm with a history of U.S. government projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. The planned facility would measure approximately 100 meters by 120 meters and house an initial contingent of 150 Moroccan soldiers who would rotate from a base in Israel.arabnews+3

The outpost would be located within the roughly 60 percent of Gaza that remains under Israeli military control, approximately one mile from the Israeli border, with a planned extraction route in the event of an attack. According to earlier contract documents reviewed by The Guardian, the base represents the first phase of a larger facility intended to eventually accommodate up to 5,000 troops.hurriyetdailynews+3

A Board of Peace official said in an email that the board and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza "are in the final stages of preparing several contract awards. None have been finalized." Israeli public broadcaster Kan has reported that around 30 Moroccan military officers have already conducted field tours in Gaza in preparation for a possible deployment.jpost+2

Uganda Joins the Force

On Thursday, Uganda's parliament voted to authorize the deployment of Uganda People's Defence Forces to Gaza, making it the first country beyond the original five contributors to publicly commit to the mission. Defence Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka told lawmakers that Trump had contacted President Yoweri Museveni in July through emissaries seeking Kampala's participation.reuters+1

"Following the invitation by His Excellency Donald Trump … the President of the Republic of Uganda is ready to deploy in the Gaza Strip the desired Uganda People's Defense Forces contingent," Kiwanuka said. A status of forces agreement is to be signed following the vote.reuters

Stalled Roadmap

The ISF was envisioned under Trump's October 2025 ceasefire plan, which called for Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and Palestinian technocratic governance. Israel's security cabinet approved the force's entry in late July, but the broader roadmap has largely stalled — the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza remains outside the territory, and Israeli forces continue near-daily strikes. UNICEF reports at least 300 Palestinian children have been killed since the ceasefire began in October, with its regional director stating, "A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children."democracynow+3