International hesitation exposes Hamas’ refusal to disarm while Israel and Trump push decisive postwar stabilization.
The Trump administration is moving aggressively to assemble a multinational force of roughly 10,000 troops to stabilize postwar Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday — an initiative central to President Trump’s 20-point Middle East peace plan and to Israel’s long-term security needs.
Senior officials concede it will take much of the coming year to build the force, and as of now no foreign government has formally committed troops. The biggest obstacle remains the same: Hamas’ refusal to disarm, despite its battlefield defeat and the unprecedented international consensus calling for full demilitarization of Gaza.
Even countries viewed as potential early contributors — including Azerbaijan and Indonesia — prefer a narrow stabilization mandate and want to avoid direct confrontation with remaining Hamas operatives. Washington, however, is pushing for a robust mission capable of preventing the terror group from regenerating.
US officials hope to secure 5,000 troops by early next year and reach the 10,000-person goal by the end of 2026. Some expect the final number may settle closer to 8,000. The State Department this week formally appealed to over 70 nations for military or financial support, ranging from major European allies like Italy and France to smaller contributors such as Malta and El Salvador.
Middle Eastern partners, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are in advanced talks to finance portions of the mission — though officials say such commitments will require continuous engagement.
A US official told the WSJ that 19 countries have expressed interest in offering troops or operational support such as equipment, transport, or logistics. More than 25 nations will convene in Qatar next week for a US-led discussion on the mission’s structure, mandate, and long-term objectives.
President Trump is expected to appoint a US general to command the coalition early next year. Consistent with administration policy, no US troops will enter Gaza, though American personnel are already positioned at a coordination hub in Kiryat Gat, Israel.
Progress remains stalled in key areas as Hamas rejects all disarmament demands, and disputes continue over Gaza’s postwar governance model. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Miami later this month to finalize strategic decisions.
The White House emphasizes that the peace plan has barely begun implementation.
“We have made tremendous progress in record time,” spokesman Dylan Johnson said, adding that global interest in joining the stabilization mission has been “unbelievable.”
For Israel, whose security depends on preventing Hamas from rebuilding, the creation of an international force — under firm American leadership — marks a historic turning point. The success of this effort will determine whether Gaza remains free from terror infrastructure or slides back into the cycle of violence that the Trump-Netanyahu framework seeks to break.
