As the US-backed multinational force stalls, IDF troops building the "Green Rafah" city project in eastern Rafah encountered terrorists emerging from a tunnel.

Discussions on the establishment of the multinational force (ISF), slated to deploy to Gaza, are ongoing, two sources familiar with the details told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

Talks are taking place both at the Coordination Mission Command Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat and through direct contacts among the countries involved in the project. At this stage, the sources said, a significant number of key issues remain unresolved.

These include the force’s mandate, its precise mission, the chain of command, and the force's structure. Another issue yet to be decided is where, at the first stage, the forces will be deployed, inside the Hamas area or the areas controlled by the IDF.

“In practice, nothing has been finalized,” one official told the Post. The issue of the rules of engagement, including guidelines on the use of live fire, also remains unsettled.

As a result, no country has yet formally committed to joining the force. “Some states have expressed interest, but the first official ‘yes’ has not yet been given,” a source said.

IDF starts building new city for Gazans in eastern Rafah

The US administration hopes the force will begin operating in early 2026, but at present, it appears the launch may be delayed.

Meanwhile, the IDF has begun development work to build a new city for Gazans in eastern Rafah, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that Gaza will not be rebuilt until all hostages are returned and Hamas is fully disarmed.

According to an i24NEWS report, the IDF has started preliminary preparations for the construction of the city, intended for Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas, in an Israeli-controlled area of easternRafah. The project has been nicknamed “Green Rafah.” Work on the site is expected to accelerate significantly next week.

The report also noted that on Wednesday morning, during development work in the area, troops encountered terrorists emerging from a Rafah tunnel. The construction efforts - intended for the benefit of Gazan civilians- are taking place close to a tunnel in which Hamas operatives remain barricaded.

Amid American pressure to begin Gaza’s reconstruction immediately, several cabinet ministers have expressed anger over the plan, demanding that Israel “avoid building on the yellow line (the Israeli-controlled sector of Gaza) in a way that endangers our communities.”