Thu 11 December 2025:

US Ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack says Ankara should be included in the international stabilisation force (ISF) for Gaza.

According to comments he made at the Jerusalem Post’s Washington Conference, posted by Israeli journalist Amichai Stein on X, Barrack said Turkiye’s participation would strengthen the ISF, which is part of the ceasefire plan.

“Our suggestion was that since the Turks have the largest and most effective ground troop operation in the region, and since they have a dialogue with Hamas, perhaps that would be beneficial as part of the force to cool the temperature,” Barrack said.

Turkiye’s involvement in the ISF has long been rejected by Israel.

In October, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Turkish troops could not join the ISF due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance against Israel.

In the same month, Netanyahu also said that no Turkish troops would be deployed to Gaza, terming it a “red line”.

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What is the international stabilisation force for Gaza?

Last month, UN Security Council passed a US-sponsored resolution which backs US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

Among the clauses was one that supported the creation and deployment of an international stabilisation force (ISF) to provide security and oversight of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

In theory, this security body will work with Israel and Egypt to “demilitarise” the Gaza Strip and will reportedly train a Palestinian police force.

Despite the passing of a resolution that “acknowledges the parties have accepted” the Trump plan, Israeli air strikes on Gaza continued, including on areas on the Palestinian side of the yellow line.

The ISF is envisioned as a multinational force that would deploy to Gaza to help train police, secure the borders, maintain security by helping demilitarise Gaza, protect civilians and humanitarian operations, including securing humanitarian corridors, among “additional tasks as may be necessary in support of the Comprehensive Plan”.

Essentially, the force would take over many of the security responsibilities that have been managed by Hamas over the last 19 years.

Since 2006, Hamas has been in charge of governing the Gaza Strip, including managing its social and security services.

Trump’s Comprehensive Plan was formulated with no input from Palestinian parties.

Who makes up the force?

That is still unclear, though under the resolution, the forces will work with Israel and Egypt and a newly trained Palestinian police force that will not be under Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

A senior adviser to Trump said Azerbaijan and Indonesia had offered to send troops.

He also said Egypt, Qatar and the UAE were in talks about contributing, though a senior Emirati official, Anwar Gargash, said his country would not participate. Reports have said Egypt could lead the force.

In October, Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was ready to provide support to Gaza.

But as tensions have heated up between Turkiye and Israel, the latter’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel would not agree to Turkish troops on the ground in Gaza.

Hamas rejected the resolution. The group released a statement on social messaging app Telegram, saying the vote “imposes an international guardianship mechanism on the Gaza Strip”.

Under Trump’s plan, Hamas would have no role in Gaza and would be disarmed, with its personnel offered two options: either commit to coexistence or be granted safe passage out of Gaza.

Hamas has repeatedly said it would give up governance but is not willing to give up its arms.

For his part, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, recently that the war “has not ended” and that Hamas would be disarmed.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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