Military Outpost First | Trump's Board of Peace Issues Initial Gaza Construction Contract

Seven months after its launch in January 2026, President Donald Trump's Board of Peace has provisionally issued its very first construction contract in the Gaza Strip. However, rather than kicking off grand civil reconstruction projects or housing developments, the inaugural award focuses on military infrastructure: a rudimentary outpost designed to house an international peacekeeping contingent.

The provisional tender was awarded to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based defense and infrastructure engineering firm with extensive experience managing U.S. government logistics and base construction across Iraq and Afghanistan.

Blueprint for a Border Outpost

According to internal procurement documents and reporting by The Guardian, the initial contract outlines a modest, short-term military installation rather than a permanent facility.

A Board of Peace official confirmed in an email that the board and its Palestinian technocratic partner, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, are in the final stages of preparing several prospective awards, noting that "facilities to support the international stabilization force" are essential for executing the broader security roadmap.

The Role of Moroccan Troops and the ISF

The outpost is intended to serve as a forward operating position for Moroccan soldiers participating in the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF).

Under the multi-stage peace plan proposed by the Trump administration, five nations, Morocco, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania, were designated to contribute troops to police the enclave and oversee security transitions. Morocco, which normalized diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, has agreed to deploy troops to help maintain order alongside local Palestinian administrative personnel.

Israeli public media reports indicate that approximately 30 Moroccan military officers have already conducted preliminary reconnaissance in the region, with troops expected to rotate into the Gaza outpost from staging bases inside Israel.

Scaled-Back Ambitions and On-the-Ground Friction

The choice to begin with a 150-person military base highlights a dramatic shift from the Board of Peace's initial, sweeping promotional materials. When established in early 2026 under the leadership of Trump, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, the board envisioned a massive, multi-billion-dollar reconstruction effort that included plans for a permanent 5,000-person military complex and commercial rebuilds across the Strip.

However, persistent geopolitical friction has forced organizers to pivot toward a smaller "pilot phase" concentrated in southern Gaza.

While the contract with Arkel International remains in its final administrative stages, its issuance marks the first physical footprint of the Board of Peace's security framework on the ground in Gaza. OnyxTimes will continue to monitor the rollout of the ISF deployment and the broader Middle East peace process.