International Stabilization Force
The International Stabilization Force is a United Nations-mandated multinational peacekeeping force outlined in the Gaza peace plan agreed by Hamas and Israel in October 2025. The force's stated aims are to help provide security, train a new Palestinian police force, and oversee the demilitarization and redevelopment of the Gaza Strip.
Background
The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023 following a series of coordinated armed attacks carried out by Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups in southern Israel.Proposals to deploy a multinational peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip was initially proposed by former British prime minister Tony Blair in a draft peace plan developed in July 2025 which Blair discussed with US president Donald Trump and his adviser Jared Kushner in August 2025. Trump presented a 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza War in September 2025, which included provisions for an internationally supervised interim government for the Gaza Strip and an Arab-led multinational peacekeeping force. On 8 October 2025, Trump announced that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had agreed to accept the first phase of his proposed peace plan. The agreement was signed by both parties the following day and came into effect on 10 October 2025.
Purpose
Under the proposal, a multinational peacekeeping force, and locally recruited civilian police force would be deployed into the Gaza Strip accompanied by a withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the territory.The primary goal of the ISF is to create a secure, demilitarized, and "terror-free" Gaza that poses no threat to its neighbors. It would accomplish this by supporting the dismantling of Hamas' military infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons production facilities.
Core functions
The ISF mandate includes:- Supporting demilitarization and destruction of terror infrastructure
- Securing border areas with Israel and Egypt
- Protecting civilians and humanitarian operations
- Training vetted Palestinian police forces
- Facilitating humanitarian corridors
- Assisting the Board of Peace in monitoring the ceasefire
Preparations
Following the first phase of the Gaza war peace plan coming into effect on 10 October 2025, a multinational joint task force is to be established to monitor the ceasefire.On 15 October, it was reported that about 25 US personnel were in the region serving in a coordination and oversight role for the international stabilization force which is starting to be constructed.
On 17 October, it was reported that the US, UK and France were working on the text of a United Nations Security Council resolution which would give the ISF a mandate similar to the international security support mission in Haiti.
A Civil-Military Coordination Center, under the leadership of Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command was set up shortly after the ceasefire agreement came into effect on 10 October 2025. The center aims to help facilitate the flow of humanitarian, logistical, and security assistance from international counterparts into Gaza.
On 3 November 2025, after Jordan and Germany declared that the ISF would need to have a UN mandate, the United States submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council that would authorize the Stabilization Force for two years under the direction of a Board of Peace. The draft underwent two further revisions before being adopted as United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 on 17 November 2025.
The Egyptian government began to establish a command centre for the ISF in El Arish in December 2025.
United States Central Command hosted a planning conference on the command structure and deployment of the ISF on 16 December 2025 in Qatar. Countries attending included Cyprus, Georgia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Jordan, Japan, Greece, Singapore, the EU, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Finland, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Spain, and Yemen.
On 17 January 2026, it was announced that Major General Jasper Jeffers had been appointed as Commander of the International Stabilization Force. Jeffers' permanent position is Commander, Special Operations Command Central of United States Central Command.
Contributing nations
The Gaza peace plan envisions a 20,000-troop enforcement mission.Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been named by a Trump adviser as countries that could contribute to the force. Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, France, Cyprus, Bangladesh, Morocco, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have also shown interest in contributing to the ISF. The United States has asked Ethiopia and Italy to contribute troops.
On 22 October 2025, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that no Turkish forces be deployed in the Gaza Strip as part of the ISF. The following day, it was reported that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had declined to contribute to the force.