US Accelerates Gaza Stabilization Force Under Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan

Senior US advisers revealed Wednesday that concrete planning is accelerating for a multinational International Stabilization Force (ISF) to deploy into the enclave, a cornerstone of President Donald Trump's ambitious 20-point Gaza peace blueprint unveiled last month. Speaking anonymously, one adviser emphasized the immediate goal: "Right now what we're looking to accomplish is just a basic stabilization of the situation. The international stabilization force is starting to be constructed," aiming to create secure, Hamas-free zones for civilians amid recent violence, including the group's execution of seven alleged Israeli collaborators in Gaza City.

This US-backed initiative, detailed in Trump's September 29 White House announcement alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, envisions the ISF as a temporary security backbone to train vetted Palestinian police, secure borders with Israel and Egypt, block arms smuggling, and enable rapid reconstruction without direct US troop involvement on the ground—Washington committing up to 200 support personnel instead. Negotiations have zeroed in on key contributors: Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan emerging as top troop suppliers, alongside outreach to the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and others, leveraging their regional expertise and neutrality to foster buy-in from Arab states wary of past peacekeeping flops.

A second adviser underscored humanitarian safeguards, stating flatly: "No one would force any Gazans to leave the Palestinian enclave," countering displacement fears as aid flows resume under January 2025 accords—covering water, electricity, hospitals, and rubble clearance via UN and Red Crescent channels, but with a hard line on funding: "What we've said very clearly is that aid is going in, but no rebuilding money will go into areas that Hamas controls." Initial efforts will target "Hamas-free, terror-free zones" for infrastructure revival, part of a broader demilitarization roadmap that includes hostage returns, prisoner swaps, and transitional technocratic governance overseen by a US-chaired "Board of Peace."

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The push follows fragile ceasefires that crumbled earlier this year, with Hamas recently returning five hostage bodies to avert Israeli aid cuts and keep the Rafah crossing operational. Experts hail the ISF as a potential "game-changer" for long-term stability, drawing on Jordan and Egypt's counterinsurgency know-how to prevent munitions influx and spur economic revival—potentially unlocking billions in Gulf investments for Gaza's battered $20 billion economy. Yet skeptics, including former Biden officials, warn of logistical nightmares: assembling thousands of untested peacekeepers could take months, risking IDF overstay and renewed clashes, while Hamas's amnesty-for-peace offer tests the group's fracture lines.

As the UN General Assembly looms, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto reiterated troop pledges, signaling broader momentum. If ratified, the ISF could pave a conditional path to Palestinian self-determination, fulfilling Trump's vow for "eternal peace" by sidelining Hamas without annexation—though success hinges on guarantor enforcement amid regional rivalries. For Gaza's 2.3 million residents, enduring blackouts and famine alerts, this multinational lifeline offers glimmers of normalcy, but only if the fragile coalition holds against spoilers.

Also Read: Israel Cuts Gaza Aid and Closes Rafah Crossing Over Hostage Issue