by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
JERUSALEM / WASHINGTON D.C. (Worthy News) – The Trump administration is preparing to appoint an American two-star general to command the newly formed International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, according to a report published Thursday by Axios citing U.S. and Israeli officials.
The move would put the United States formally at the head of the multinational force mandated under a November 17 UN Security Council resolution that authorizes the creation of a temporary ISF to oversee Gaza’s transition into a postwar governance structure. While Washington will command the force, senior officials reiterated that the decision does not entail deploying American combat troops inside Gaza.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit this week that the administration “is going to lead the ISF” and already has a two-star general in mind. One Israeli official commented that Waltz “knows the general personally” and described him as “a very serious guy.”
ISF Deployment to Replace IDF Presence
Under Trump’s Gaza peace architecture, IDF forces–currently controlling 53 percent of Gaza–will withdraw gradually as ISF contingents deploy. The force was approved alongside the soon-to-be-launched Board of Peace, the international body intended to oversee Gaza’s interim governing arrangements.
President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he will not announce the members of the Board of Peace until early next year, delaying expectations that the rollout of “phase two” of the peace plan would be made before Christmas.
The Board of Peace will be largely symbolic, while operational authority will fall to an executive committee including Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, former UK prime minister Tony Blair, and former UN Mideast envoy Nikolay Mladenov.
Waltz: ISF Authorized to Disarm Hamas “By All Means Necessary”
Speaking at the end of his Israel trip, Waltz underscored that the ISF mandate explicitly includes overseeing Hamas’s disarmament:
“The stabilization force in the Security Council resolution is authorized to [disarm Hamas]. We specifically put language in there that said, ‘by all means necessary.’ That’ll be a conversation with each country,” Waltz told Channel 12.
This strong mandate is creating hesitancy among potential contributors, many of whom are concerned that compulsory disarmament crosses from peacekeeping into peace-enforcement.
Waltz publicly named Azerbaijan as a likely contributor, but Baku clarified that it has not committed, stating it is open only to peacekeeping, not forced disarmament.
Several Arab and Muslim nations have expressed similar reservations.
Turkey Dispute Remains a Major Obstacle
One of the most significant diplomatic sticking points is Israel’s veto on Turkish involvement in the ISF. Several potential contributors argue that Ankara’s participation is essential due to its ties to Hamas and its longstanding role as mediator and guarantor in ceasefire negotiations.
Waltz confirmed that the U.S. is still negotiating with Israel on the issue, saying conversations are “ongoing.”
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