This Thursday in Madrid, Gazan activists supported by the American NGO ‘Center for Peace Communications’ have presented a proposal: the creation of an isolated neighborhood in the Gaza Strip. This enclave, as explained by Joseph Braude and Ahed al-Hindi in a meeting with deputies from the Popular Party, would be run by political activists and human rights defenders, seeking to escape the Hamas government and recurring Israeli bombings.

In a hotel near the Congress of Deputies, Braude and Al-Hindi have detailed that the utopian region initially would house approximately ten thousand people, protected from political and military interference. “It is not a chimera,” they have assured, citing the support of hundreds of activists prepared to lead the project, including teachers, engineers and internal security personnel.

The initiative, still in its embryonic phase, according to Braude, depends crucially on the backing of the United States and support of Israel, who have not yet rejected the idea. Avoiding linking their proposal to Israeli post-conflict plans, activists have argued that their similarity could facilitate eventual support from Israel.

Al-Hindi has bought the proposal with successful cases such as autonomous Kurdish region in Syria and the independence of southern Yemen, arguing that your project could follow these examples. In addition to activists, the project has the support of 150 teachers, journalists and five sheikhs willing to challenge the ultra-conservative principles of Hamas.

However, they admit that without economic, political and military support, their utopia is unattainable. For this reason, they have taken their story to several countries, including Italy, Germany, Canada and the United Stateshoping to find allies willing to listen to the voices of activists and make the utopia of a different Gaza a reality.