Palestinians shop at a makeshift market in the Nuseirat refugee camp, located in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
The three countries have expressed serious interest in joining the force that the administration of President Donald Trump aims to establish as part of its broader plan to restructure the situation in the Gaza Strip, US officials granted anonymity to discuss sensitive ongoing discussions told Politico.
Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday regarding the timing of the start of negotiations between Hamas and Israel over the second phase of Trump’s plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli officials said on Wednesday that negotiations to implement the second phase of the ceasefire agreement had not yet begun, despite Trump’s statement a day earlier claiming that the second phase was already underway.
According to Israel 24, unnamed Israeli officials said, “Contrary to reports, talks for the second phase have not yet started and will not begin until the first phase is completed, which includes the return of all Israeli captives’ bodies.”
Meanwhile, informed sources confirmed that preparations are underway to establish an international force in Gaza. The sources explained that the force will operate under guarantees agreed upon by both sides and is expected to begin its mission in early November. They also noted that Israel is set to begin the second phase of its troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip around the same time.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, is reportedly seeking to strengthen its global influence, while Pakistan and Azerbaijan, both maintaining close ties with the current US administration, may view participation as an opportunity to bolster their standing in Washington.
A Pentagon official noted that negotiations remain in their early stages and that no formal commitments have yet been made. However, progress in these discussions signals that the White House is moving forward with its 20-point peace plan for the region.
The proposed “stabilization force” is considered a central element of the US plan, expected to train Palestinian police forces to eventually administer Gaza and oversee the transfer of authority in the strip from Hamas to a technocrat government.
According to media reports, mediators are currently discussing the deployment of an initial force of around 1,000 Palestinian police officers trained in Egypt and Jordan to help restore security in Gaza, where recent days have seen fierce clashes between Hamas and other armed groups.
Egypt hopes the force will eventually expand to about 10,000 personnel, though Israel, which opposes any renewed Palestinian Authority presence in the Strip, is expected to resist the plan.
On Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the need for a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution defining the mandate and authorities of the proposed stability support force outlined in the peace plan, in full coordination with the Palestinian side.
On the ground, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has reportedly begun deploying 200 troops to Israel to establish a civil-military coordination centre in northern Gaza. However, the Trump administration has yet to announce the formation of coordination teams from the State Department or any other government agency.
Short link: