Israel Controls Composition of Planned International Gaza Force

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Israel will retain control over which foreign troops are allowed to participate in a planned international stabilization force in Gaza, part of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the conflict. Netanyahu emphasized that Israel's security decisions, including the rejection of certain forces, are sovereign and acceptable to the United States, which has ruled out sending U.S. troops but supports a multinational force potentially including countries like Egypt, Indonesia, and Gulf Arab states. The involvement of Turkey has been explicitly opposed by Israel, citing its political and financial support for Hamas, which makes Turkish participation unacceptable. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while several countries have offered to join the force, clarity on its mandate, legal basis, and rules of engagement remains under negotiation. Turkey has expressed readiness to contribute to Gaza's stabilization efforts and humanitarian aid, while the international force's role in demilitarization and ceasefire monitoring is still being defined. These developments occur amid ongoing tensions and airstrikes in Gaza, as well as efforts to manage hostage situations and post-war arrangements.