The Desperate Search for Gaza Peacekeepers
Most of the world shows reluctance to join the international stabilization force in Gaza. About 20 miles from Gaza, the United States has taken control of a large, long-abandoned industrial site in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, establishing a civil-military coordination center there. Around 200 American soldiers and officials are present at the facility at any time, acting as the U.S. monitoring force overseeing the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
It is evident that these U.S. personnel are not intended to serve as a combat team enforcing the next stages of the Trump administration’s peace plan. Neither U.S. allies nor Arab partners have expressed willingness to deploy troops to police Hamas if it refuses to disarm.
Challenges Facing the International Stabilization Force
The envisaged international stabilization force (ISF) aims to address Israeli security concerns, enable the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to withdraw from Gaza, and maintain peace to allow Gaza’s reconstruction. However, it faces significant obstacles:
- Uncertainty over which countries will commit troops and which ones Israel would accept.
- Who would actively combat Hamas, and who might tacitly support or protect it.
- The core issue of Hamas’ ongoing presence, as no country wants to engage in fighting the group.
Hamas’ apparent refusal to disarm makes it unlikely that Western or Arab states will send troops into Gaza.
“None of the United States’ allies or Arab partners have signaled any willingness to send troops to police Hamas if it refuses to disarm.”
The absence of a willing peacekeeping force complicates the pathway toward a stable peace and reconstruction in Gaza.
Author’s Summary
The search for peacekeepers in Gaza is hindered by global reluctance to confront Hamas, raising doubts about the viability of a stabilization force essential for lasting peace and rebuilding.