Trump’s Gaza “Stabilization Force” is collapsing as states withdraw support rather than enforce demilitarization and confront Palestinians under occupation.
An investigation by The Washington Post reveals that US President Donald Trump’s proposed “International Stabilization Force” (ISF)—a central pillar of his Gaza plan endorsed under a UN Security Council resolution on November 17—is unraveling before deployment.
The initiative, advertised as a rapid “peacekeeping” model meant to secure Gaza and enforce demilitarization, is now facing widespread resistance, dwindling foreign commitments, and deep uncertainty about its purpose, legality, and political consequences.
According to The Washington Post, governments initially expected to provide troops — including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Italy, and several Gulf states — are backtracking amid fears that foreign soldiers may be drawn into confrontation not with Israel, but with Palestinians resisting occupation and any attempt to impose external rule.
“They want the international stabilizing force to come into Gaza and restore, quote unquote, law and order and disarm any resistance. So that’s the problem. Nobody wants to do that,” an Indonesian foreign ministry official told the paper.
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A Mission No State Wants to Own
The ISF was conceived as a force of 15,000 to 20,000 troops tasked with securing borders, overseeing humanitarian aid operations, and, most controversially, disarming Palestinian resistance factions.
Indonesia, which publicly floated a deployment of up to 20,000 troops in September, has now reportedly reduced its potential contribution to around 1,200 personnel. The report quoted senior military officials as citing fears of being ordered to use force against Palestinians living under siege and ongoing military occupation.
Other states have drawn similar conclusions. According to the Post, Azerbaijan has conditioned participation on a full cessation of Israeli attacks. For their part, Gulf states, once floated as likely pillars, have reportedly withdrawn entirely. A diplomat familiar with the discussions told the Post that “no Persian Gulf country is now willing to send troops.”
Even Italy, one of Washington’s closest security partners in Europe, is backing away from combat involvement, instead considering limited training and demining roles, the Post reported.
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No Framework, No Legitimacy
One of the clearest problems emerging from the investigation is that the ISF’s mandate remains undefined. Trump’s plan envisions the force as a long-term internal security authority, one step in a phased strategy that includes a “Board of Peace” headed by Trump himself and run alongside a committee of Palestinian “technocrats.”
Egypt, a key broker, has explicitly refused to participate while Israeli occupation forces remain active in Gaza.
“What will happen if Israel kills soldiers from the force? Hell will break loose,” former Egyptian diplomat Hesham Youssef warned.
More than two weeks after the resolution passed, neither the board nor the force exists beyond draft language and diplomatic speculation.
“We thought that with the Security Council resolution, within 48 or 72 hours, the Board of Peace would be announced. But nothing, not even informally,” one official involved in the rollout reportedly told the newspaper.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
” Why Trump’s Gaza ‘Stabilization Force’ is Failing ”
because you can’t stabilize and destabilize at the same time.
Egypt already does more than its part in helping Israel in “overseeing humanitarian aid operations” and “securing borders”. They could open the crossing and reclaim their own territory ANY DAY they want.
They also have ALREADY lost soldiers (and killed some IDF) in the past two years… and “all hell” has not broken loose for anyone but the Palestinians.