By Pesha Magid

JERUSALEM, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Israel has cleared land in southern Gaza for the construction of a camp for Palestinians potentially equipped with surveillance and facial recognition technology at its entrance, a retired Israeli general who advises the military said on Tuesday.

Retired reservist Brigadier-General Amir Avivi told Reuters in an interview that the camp would be built in an area of Rafah cleared of tunnels built by Hamas, with entry and exit tracked by Israeli personnel.

Avivi is founder of the influential Israel Defense and Security Forum, a group representing thousands of Israeli military reservists. He does not speak on behalf of Israel's military, which declined to comment. The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately provide comment on any plans to build a camp in Rafah.

Avivi said the camp would be used to house Palestinians who wish to leave Gaza and cross into Egypt as well as those who wish to stay.

His comments come as Israel prepares for a "limited reopening" of Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a key requirement under U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the Gaza war.

Sources told Reuters this month that Israel wants to ensure more Palestinians leave Gaza than are allowed in. Israeli officials have spoken in the past about encouraging........

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