Israel to deploy 5,000-strong international force in Gaza from May under Trump plan

Israel is preparing to deploy an international force in the Gaza Strip starting in May as part of the next phase of a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, according to Israel's public broadcaster KAN on Saturday. The force, expected to include about 5,000 troops from Indonesia, along with dozens of soldiers from Kazakhstan, Morocco, Albania, and Kosovo, could begin operating on May 1, the broadcaster reported.

Deployment details

The troops would initially deploy around a Palestinian city being built with support from the United Arab Emirates in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip before expanding to other parts of the enclave, the report added. The broadcaster said military delegations from participating countries are expected to arrive in Israel within two weeks to conduct reconnaissance tours in Gaza ahead of the force's deployment. The force would later expand its presence inside areas near what Israeli media refer to as the "yellow line," a provisional boundary inside Gaza where Israeli forces temporarily withdrew under the ceasefire agreement. The report also said hundreds of foreign troops are expected to travel to Jordan next month for training before entering Gaza.

Trump plan framework

On Feb. 9, the Israeli broadcaster reported that preparations had begun for the arrival of thousands of Indonesian soldiers as part of the stabilization force envisioned in Trump's plan for ending the Gaza war. Earlier, on Jan. 16, the White House announced governance structures for Gaza's transitional phase, including a Board of Peace, a Gaza Executive Council, a National Committee for Gaza Administration, and an international stabilization force. The stabilization force would oversee security operations in Gaza, disarm armed groups, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials. The move forms part of the second phase of Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 issued on Nov. 17, 2025.

Indonesian conditions

On March 6, Indonesia announced that it will withdraw from the Board of Peace if it fails to support Palestinian independence. President Prabowo Subianto conveyed the position during a meeting with more than 160 Islamic scholars at the presidential palace in Jakarta, indicating potential complications for the international force's political framework.

Gaza context

A ceasefire agreement entered into force on Oct. 10, 2025, following a two-year conflict in Gaza that left more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 171,000 injured while destroying about 90% of the enclave's civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion. The international force deployment represents a significant step in post-war stabilization efforts.