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U.S. officials are in talks with several countries to finalize a plan for an international force to be deployed in Gaza, with a formal proposal expected in the coming weeks, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
The plan, led by U.S. Central Command, aims to create an International Stabilization Force (ISF) composed of a new Palestinian police unit, trained and vetted by the U.S., Egypt, and Jordan, alongside troops from Arab and Muslim nations. Countries including Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Türkiye have shown willingness to participate, sources said, though others have expressed concerns about Gaza’s volatile security situation.
“If we don’t have reliable security and governance in Gaza that the Israelis agree to, we will get stuck in a situation where Israel is attacking all the time,” one source involved in the planning told Axios.
Under President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, deployment of the ISF is a condition for Israel’s further withdrawal from the roughly 50% of Gaza it still controls. The force would focus on securing Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt and preventing arms smuggling.
However, implementation depends on Hamas agreeing to relinquish power and some of its weapons. Some Israeli and U.S. officials doubt Hamas will comply, warning that Israel may be forced to resume its military campaign.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, recently met with senior Israeli military officials to discuss the plan’s scope and structure. Israeli officials reportedly emphasized that legitimacy among Gaza’s population would matter more than the force’s size.
A U.S. official said, “The Israelis are nervous and skeptical because they are not in control and they don’t have the cards anymore. We told them, ‘Let’s create the right circumstances and see if Hamas is serious or not.’”
Despite Israeli objections, Washington wants Türkiye, along with Qatar and Egypt, to take part in the ISF, viewing them as key mediators capable of influencing Hamas. “The Turks were very helpful in getting the Gaza deal and Netanyahu’s bashing of Turkey has been very counterproductive,” a U.S. official said.
“We are aware of the Israeli concerns and are working to create something that can achieve stability and that both sides can find acceptable,” the official added.
U.S., Israeli, and regional officials say Hamas is under increasing pressure from Arab and Muslim countries to disarm and cooperate with the peace plan. Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye told Washington they believe Hamas may agree to the ISF’s deployment to monitor borders and carry out limited missions inside Gaza.
However, the issue of amnesty for Hamas fighters remains a sticking point. A U.S. official said the plan aims to ensure Hamas “believes its fighters will truly receive amnesty if it agrees to move forward.”
The U.S. is also working on a United Nations Security Council resolution to provide a legal framework for the force, though it will not make the ISF a U.N. peacekeeping mission. The U.S. would retain oversight and influence over its operations.
“There is strong interest in countries in the region to be involved in the ISF. Nobody rejected it and they all wait to see the final design,” a U.S. official said.
Another source cautioned, “Most people who know the history of this conflict don’t give it a large chance for success. You have to be nuts not to be skeptical. But at the same time, no one wants to get on the wrong side of Donald Trump.”
Separately, Israel has returned the bodies of 30 more Palestinians to Gaza as part of an ongoing exchange deal under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan, AFP reported Friday.
The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis confirmed that “the bodies of 30 Palestinian prisoners were received from the Israeli side as part of the exchange deal.”
Under the truce, Israel is to return 15 Palestinian remains for every deceased Israeli hostage returned by Hamas. Friday’s transfer brings the total number of Palestinian bodies returned to Gaza to 225.
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