• Muslim diplomats carefully analyze US resolution and hope it ‘evolves’
• Azerbaijan will only send peacekeepers ‘if the fighting stops’
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he expects a US-coordinated International Stabilization Force (ISF) to be on the ground in Gaza “very soon.”
The multinational force (which will likely include troops from Muslim countries such as Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, etc.) is part of Trump’s post-war governance plan for Gaza.
The plan helped bring about a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10, but the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has not abated.
“It’s going to be very soon. And Gaza is working very well,” Trump said at a White House function with Central Asian leaders.
“You haven’t heard much about the problems and, I will tell you, we have had countries that have volunteered if there is a problem with Hamas.”
The force is supposed to train and support Palestinian police authorized in the Gaza Strip, with backing from Egypt and Jordan.
He will also be tasked with securing border areas and preventing weapons from reaching Hamas.
On Wednesday, the United States circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution among partner countries aimed at shoring up Trump’s plan, including giving the green light to the international force.
Washington’s envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, shared the draft with the 10 elected members of the Security Council (including Pakistan) and several regional partners, a spokesman for the US mission said in a statement.
A vote has not yet been scheduled. According to diplomatic sources, several countries have indicated their willingness to participate in the force, but insist on a Security Council mandate before deploying troops to the Palestinian territory.
Meanwhile, senior Muslim diplomats said the issue is already sensitive and that strong pro-Palestinian sentiment in their countries makes it even more sensitive.
They noted that support for the US draft resolution would depend on a clear UN mandate, a non-combative role and coordination with Palestinian authorities.
“It is a draft that will be negotiated and will evolve,” said a senior diplomat from a Muslim bloc country. Sunrise. “The draft has already been circulated; it is being considered and discussed by Council members at this stage.”
azerbaijani troops
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Azerbaijan does not plan to send peacekeepers to Gaza unless fighting between Israel and Hamas completely stops.
“We do not want to endanger our troops. This can only happen if military action is completely stopped,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry source said.
The source noted that any such decision would have to be approved by parliament. The head of the parliamentary security committee told Reuters he had not yet received any draft legislation on the matter.
Published in Dawn, November 8, 2025
