This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
Plans to deploy an international peacekeeping force to Gaza as part of US President Trump’s post-war vision for the enclave have been significantly scaled back and delayed, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The force, known as the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), was originally envisaged as a 20,000-strong multinational mission that would help secure Gaza, prevent Hamas from re-emerging as a military power, and support reconstruction efforts.
However, the Journal reported that the mission is now struggling to deploy even an initial contingent of between 10 and 20 troops.
A small Moroccan detachment, originally expected to enter the region in June, is now not expected for several months. Rather than deploying directly into Gaza, the troops will first train at a newly built logistics hub in Israel near the Kerem Shalom crossing before undertaking limited operations inside the Strip, according to US and other officials familiar with the plans.
The delays highlight the difficulties facing efforts to stabilise Gaza nearly three years after the outbreak of war. Hamas has so far refused to disarm, a key condition of the second phase of Trump’s peace plan, while Israel has continued military operations in the enclave.
According to the Journal, Indonesia, which had considered contributing thousands of peacekeepers, suspended talks on joining the mission, citing regional instability. The recent conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon have also dampened enthusiasm among potential contributors.
Four countries, Albania, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Morocco, are still expected to make formal commitments to the force.
The ISF was designed to become a cornerstone of post-war governance in Gaza and a symbol of international backing for reconstruction.
But with reconstruction yet to begin and billions of dollars in pledged aid still undelivered, the deployment's setbacks highlight the formidable obstacles to securing a lasting peace in the territory.
This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
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