US allies await answers before committing to peace force in Gaza
More than a month after US President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire in Gaza, a key component of his 20-point plan has yet to materialize.
President Donald Trump's 20-point plan calls for a multinational force to stabilize the devastated region, but potential participants say key details about its mission have yet to be finalized, according to CNN.
Mr Trump announced his plan to end the war in Gaza on September 29, saying the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) was expected to deploy “immediately” to train Palestinian police, protect the borders with Israel and Egypt, stem the flow of ammunition and allow for the withdrawal of more Israeli troops from Gaza.
The first phase of the ceasefire includes the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israel. The second phase of Mr. Trump’s plan calls for the creation of an ISF. While U.S. officials have offered some suggestions about possible participants and several countries have expressed interest, no country has officially announced its participation.
Potential participants, allied with the United States, are seeking clarity and assurances before sending troops to Gaza, which now faces armed militias, criminal gangs and the threat of Israeli attacks with no sign of Hamas disarming. The force would be an unprecedented multinational effort to stabilize the territory controlled by Hamas since 2007.
A Middle Eastern official familiar with the plans told CNN that the countries expected to participate in the mission are still in discussions with the US on key issues, including the size of the force, the number of personnel each country will contribute, the chain of command, who will lead decision-making and the timing of the deployment.
Israel has expressed concern about those taking part in the force, saying it will not tolerate the participation of countries it views as antagonists, such as Türkiye – which played a key role in getting Hamas to agree to a ceasefire.
“These compositional issues, the lack of clarity around specifics, for example, the disarmament mandate, and the uncertainty around the interaction and coordination that would inevitably entail with the Israel Defense Forces — all pose challenges to the establishment of an ISF,” said Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, a senior fellow at the American Middle East Institute.
Regional officials told CNN that some potential participating countries have insisted that the force is transitional, with a limited timeline until an "empowered" Palestinian Authority can take full control of Gaza.
