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The US military is exploring whether to build a temporary base capable of housing 10,000 people near the Gaza Strip as part of its effort to have a stabilization force of troops from other countries monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Navy is seeking cost estimates from a list of pre-qualified companies for “a temporary, self-sustaining military base of operations capable of supporting 10,000 personnel and providing 10,000 square feet of office space for a 12-month period,” according to a request for information sent to qualified contractors and seen by Bloomberg News.
The request for information identifies the potential site as “near Gaza, Israel”. It was sent on October 31, two people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Responses were due on 3 November.
The United States is seeking international support for a proposal to send foreign troops to Gaza to help secure the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas signed last month. Those troops, called the International Stabilization Force, will work with Israel and Egypt to secure the area and enable reconstruction efforts after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
According to US Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins, “As a planning organization, the US Army is currently working with international military partners to develop potential options for the basing of international troops” that would be part of the force. “To be clear, no U.S. troops will be deployed to Gaza.”
A US official, who asked not to be identified discussing the matter, said the request represents an early planning step for a possible base in southern Israel for the stabilization force. The US has already deployed more assets to the region since President Donald Trump signed the ceasefire, including a command center in southern Israel with 200 US troops and international partners.
White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt said the White House had not yet approved such a move, calling the document “a piece of paper produced by random people within the military.”
Requests for information are not formal calls for bids and do not guarantee a future contract, although they do provide a window into what federal agencies are hoping to get from private companies. Demands detailed in the contract include a “comprehensive security plan that includes access control, threat response, incident reporting and procedures for mass casualty incidents.”
Asked about the possibility of building a large US base, Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said Tuesday he had nothing concrete to share. Israel is dependent on American military aid and equipment but has rarely allowed American military bases on its soil, and so far those bases have been small.
“We are working with the Americans and various partners on the future in Gaza,” Shoshani said. “There are different ideas on the table.”
Shomrim, a non-profit news organization in Israel, reported earlier on Tuesday that the US was planning a large base in the Gaza Strip to monitor the ceasefire. It cited Israeli officials who saw preliminary plans.
The request states that the contractor will “provide a complete turnkey solution,” meaning it will take care of every aspect of the construction and management of the base. It detailed that a contractor would have to provide three meals a day to all 10,000 personnel and take care of water and waste management, power generation, laundry service, a reliable communication network and a medical clinic.
Companies that are eligible for the contract are part of a contracting process called WEXMAC, or Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract, managed by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Supply Systems Command. The contract vehicle is typically used for international military operations, but has been repurposed to meet the Trump administration’s demand for more immigration detention space.
The same process was used in July to award a $1.26 billion contract to build a 5,000-bed tent camp at an El Paso Army base.
With assistance from Jane Judson, Magdalena del Valle, Ethan Broner, and Tony Capacio.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
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