Hebrew media outlets revealed the existence of international moves led by the United States to form a multinational force that could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as part of post ceasefire arrangements. The reports indicated that Italy and Indonesia have expressed preliminary readiness to participate, subject to conditions related to the nature and location of the deployment.
According to the Hebrew newspaper Israel Hayom, American officials intend to hold a conference in the Qatari capital Doha, with the participation of countries interested in contributing to the proposed force. However, most of these states remain hesitant to join at this stage, pending clarity on the issue of disarming Hamas.
The newspaper claimed that both Italy and Indonesia have stipulated that the deployment of their forces be limited to areas under Israeli control within the Gaza Strip, and that they have no contact or direct confrontation with Hamas.
It added that more than 24 countries are currently participating in an international headquarters located in the city of Kiryat Gat, which oversees the implementation of the ceasefire and works on preparations for deploying the new force.
In the same context, the newspaper noted that Turkey has announced its readiness to participate, but Israel has objected to the entry of armed Turkish forces into the Gaza Strip. This makes it likely that any Turkish role would be confined to a later phase related to reconstruction, without armed military deployment. The reports also referred to the existence of a Palestinian force trained in Egypt, but stated that Israel currently opposes its entry due to its affiliation with the Palestinian Authority.
The reports clarified that the first phase of deployment, if approved, would be limited to the southern Gaza Strip, particularly in areas under Israeli control. The initial positioning would begin from a single base in Rafah, with the possibility of later expansion to additional bases.
The newspaper confirmed that the final role of the force remains unclear, amid differing international positions regarding its mandate. It added that Washington is exerting pressure to accelerate the start of deployment in the coming weeks, with the aim of supporting the course of the American plan and opening the door to negotiations for the next phase.
In parallel, the US administration is pushing to expedite the implementation of the deployment in the weeks ahead, even if its initial role remains symbolic or limited in scope. This is intended to generate political momentum for the deployment plan, pave the way for second phase negotiations, and confer international legitimacy on the presence of a multinational force in the Gaza Strip.
