Israel approves entry of 200-strong international stabilization force into Gaza

July 27, 2026 at 02:10 AM2 min

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Israel’s security cabinet has approved the legal framework for the deployment of a 200-member International Stabilization Force in Gaza, an Israeli official said Sunday. The force, drawn from countries including Uganda and Morocco, will operate in coordination with the Israeli military, though no date was set for its arrival. The approval came a day before Prime Minister Netanyahu is set to travel to Washington.

The Stabilization Force

The ISF will consist of 200 personnel from “friendly countries such as Uganda and Morocco,” Reuters reported. Israel retains the authority to approve participating nations, and the force will operate only in areas not under Israeli military control. The cabinet's decision enables the force to function “in full coordination with” the Israel Defense Forces, though no deployment timeline has been announced. The ISF is intended to support demilitarization and the transition to a Palestinian transitional administration under the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

Trump’s Peace Framework

The force is a component of President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which also establishes an international Board of Peace to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction. Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s director-general, welcomed Israel’s approval as “a critical part of the agreed framework.” The plan calls for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from the strip, though most Western countries have refused to join the board. Israel dictates who and what can enter Gaza, including the volume of aid and food, since the ceasefire took effect in October.

Humanitarian Toll

Since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was agreed in October, 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and 3,888 wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Reports of killings by Israeli forces occur almost daily. Israel currently occupies approximately 70 percent of Gaza, forcing nearly two million residents into a shrinking area as the military advances the “Yellow Line” demarcation. The ISF is to be deployed in the fraction of Gaza not under Israeli control, but its capacity to operate amid ongoing violence remains untested.