Gaza ‘Disneyland strategy’ aims to rebuild enclave, weaken Hamas, expert says

As the fragile ceasefire in Gaza holds, a new idea is gaining momentum – dividing the Strip into two zones. On the one hand, life under the grip of Hamas, and on the other, a vision of what life would be like without the terrorist group.

With Arab countries indicating they will not fund reconstruction as long as the movement remains in power, American and Israeli officials are considering a new approach — rebuilding in parts of Gaza that are still under Israeli control — beyond what Israeli officials call the “yellow line.” The hope, experts explain, is to create a living example of peace and recovery that can inspire change within the regions it still governs agitation.

The areas currently under Israeli control behind the so-called “yellow line” constitute approximately 58% of the Gaza Strip, including the entire city of Rafah in the south, large parts of Khan Yunis, and northern neighborhoods such as Beit Lahia and Shujaiya. Hamas controls the rest of the territory, including the densely populated Gaza City. Despite the presence of the Israeli army, Hamas activists are still active near the front lines.

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The IDF announced that as part of the ceasefire agreement and in accordance with the directives of the political level, IDF forces under Southern Command began delineating the yellow line in the Gaza Strip to achieve tactical clarity on the ground. (IDF)

John Spencer, executive director of the Urban War Institute, described the plan to divide Gaza into two separate zones — one under Israeli control and one under Hamas control — allowing rebuilding only on the Israeli side as “a practical and psychological test, and a way to show Gazans what life without Hamas could look like.”

Spencer used the term “Disneyland strategy” to describe the concept, which he said was derived from American counterinsurgency efforts in Iraq.

“You take any part of the problem — we’re talking about the terrain — and you remove all the bad stuff: Hamas, the tunnels, the weapons, everything,” he said. “Then you let civilians in and you build something new — markets, buildings, schools, electricity. We called it Disneyland because we wanted it to look like hope — like the future.”

He said that the idea follows the “survey, capture and build” model used in Iraq AfghanistanThe forces secured the neighborhoods one by one. “In Ramadi, we did it neighborhood by neighborhood until we covered the entire city,” he said. “You hold it, evacuate it, and let the locals take over. That has been proven historically. You don’t have to rid Gaza of Hamas to start this.”

Spencer said the goal was to give Gazans — and the world — a tangible glimpse of life without Hamas.

Days after a ceasefire took effect, Gazans shop in a market in central Gaza on October 18, 2025. (TPS-IL)

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“You’re building a little piece of goodness, a little Disneyland, to show everyone what’s possible,” he said. He added: “This will also show the countries that will provide stabilization forces something they can do, which is to stabilize the areas that have been cleared and that do not include Hamas.”

However, he cautioned that this concept is not a silver bullet. “You will have areas on the other side of the line that Hamas believes it controls,” he said. “Building something without Hamas is as important as defeating Hamas as it is to show people that there is a future.”

Inside the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, fear still defines daily life. “Since the ceasefire started, we have been terrified,” one resident told Fox News Digital, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“We do not want to remain under Hamas rule. It is very terrifying for us to hear that Jared Kushner said that reconstruction will only take place in areas not controlled by Hamas. Trump and Netanyahu He said that Hamas will end – but look at what is happening. “They came back stronger, and we are still trapped.”

In this still image from a verified video on social media and confirmed to Reuters by a Hamas source, seven men are forced to kneel and shot in the back by Hamas gunmen during public executions in Gaza on October 14, 2025. (Reuters)

“There is a lot of food – yes, in the markets food is available, everything Types of foodHe continued: “All goods have become available again, and prices are falling more and more.” “Life has returned, but destruction is what we see everywhere.”

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For some on this side of the Yellow Line, the prospect of rebuilding a new Gaza on the other side — even a small one — feels like freedom.

Hossam Al-Astal drives Anti-Hamas militias In Khan Yunis, he told Fox News Digital: “We do not seek to rule Gaza, nor do we seek power. Our project after the ruling and the collapse of the Hamas and ISIS government is to secure the people and transfer them during the transitional phase… to civil institutions that govern to the satisfaction of God, away from their personal interests.”

Hamas terrorists appear in a show of force as they escort Red Cross vehicles carrying three Israeli hostages to be released as part of a ceasefire agreement. (TPS-IL)

He accused Hamas of directing its weapons inward during the ceasefire. He said, “We call on the entire international community to protect us from Hamas terrorism.” “We are not fighting for someone’s rule. We are fighting for a decent life. We are fighting for a new Gaza.”

Multiple sources say Israel has already offered limited support to Astal and other anti-Hamas factions on the ground.

“We saw a preview when the Majayda clan, in cooperation with anti-Hamas fighter Hossam Al-Astal and with the help of the Israeli army from the air, repulsed Hamas in a local battle,” Joseph Braud, head of the Peace Communications Center, told Fox News Digital. “This is a small example of what could happen on a larger scale – local forces, backed by Israel, drive Hamas from the ground up.”

Both Spencer and Proud agree that the emerging “two-Gazan” reality is not incidental—rather, it is part and parcel of the Trump administration’s policy. 20 point plan.

People carry boxes of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed private aid group that bypassed the long-standing UN-led order in the area, with the return of displaced Palestinians from an aid distribution center in the central Gaza Strip in June. 8, 2025. (Iyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images)

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“We are approaching a new reality where reconstruction can begin in part of the Strip – the areas beyond the yellow line – while fighting continues in the rest of Gaza,” Braud said. “Hamas is not a party to Peace process Rather, he is a warrior actor. Reconstruction does not depend on Hamas’ cooperation. “It begins where Hamas is no longer able to operate, while efforts continue to eliminate its presence in other parts of the Strip.”

Broad said the plan envisions “emerging pockets of self-rule that gradually evolve into a coalition — the basis for what might be called the Interim Transitional Authority in Gaza.”

He concluded, “Developing local combat forces to confront Hamas is a capability that the people of Gaza welcome and that Israel and its allies enjoy.” “Building a functioning government with continuity, a rules-based system, and institutions – that is the hardest work.”