Washington moves to form a U.S.-backed stabilization force for Gaza as Israel demands Hamas return all murdered hostages.
In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic and military coordination, senior U.S. advisers revealed Wednesday that efforts are underway to establish an international stabilization force for Gaza—an initiative central to President Donald Trump’s bold Gaza peace framework, Reuters reported.
The proposed U.S.-backed multinational force, supported by Washington and regional partners, is designed to restore order and prevent the resurgence of Hamas terror operations. While the U.S. has agreed to contribute up to 200 troops, officials clarified that none will enter Gaza directly; instead, they will serve in roles of coordination, intelligence, and logistics support.
“Our immediate goal is to stabilize the situation and prevent another spiral of chaos. The international stabilization force is now being assembled,” one senior adviser stated, underscoring the urgency of restoring calm after months of bloodshed.
Talks are currently underway with several countries—including Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan—to participate in the peace enforcement mission. Roughly two dozen U.S. troops are already in the region assisting with command and control, communications, and oversight to ensure rapid deployment once the agreement is finalized.
“We’re working with all responsible partners who are willing to ensure Gaza’s security and prevent the reemergence of Hamas,” the adviser added.
The discussions intensified following Hamas’s brutal execution of seven Gazans accused of collaborating with Israel—a move that has fueled international outrage and prompted calls for the establishment of safe zones to protect civilians from the terror group’s repressive rule.
A second U.S. adviser emphasized that no Gazans would be forced to leave their homes, and reconstruction would begin only in areas fully cleared of Hamas presence, ensuring that international aid does not fall into terrorist hands.
Meanwhile, the recovery of Israeli hostages’ bodies remains a key condition for the next phase of the ceasefire deal. U.S. officials acknowledged that retrieving the remains is proving difficult due to collapsed tunnels, booby-trapped areas, and unexploded ordnance. Washington is reportedly considering reward programs for intelligence leading to the discovery of additional bodies.
The comments came just hours after Hamas claimed it had “fulfilled its obligations” and returned all living hostages and the remains it could locate. Israeli intelligence, however, flatly disputes this claim, asserting that Hamas still holds information on at least 15 to 20 more deceased hostages.
According to Axios, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration that progress on the ceasefire cannot continue until Hamas intensifies its recovery efforts. The agreement requires Hamas to make a “maximum effort” to return 28 deceased hostages, including two Americans.
A potential collapse of the fragile truce was narrowly avoided when Hamas returned five bodies in the past two days, bringing the total to nine. Israel, demonstrating restraint, delayed a planned reduction in humanitarian aid and kept the Egypt-Gaza crossing open to allow further recovery efforts.
Israeli officials remain firm:
“Hamas cannot dictate the pace of peace. Until every Israeli hostage—living or dead—is brought home, Israel’s mission remains unfinished.”
