Azerbaijan and Indonesia may lead international stability force in Gaza

Troops from Azerbaijan and Indonesia are expected to form the core of an International Stability Force (ISF) to be deployed in Gaza.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, this information emerged from recent discussions between US Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and their respective teams. The force is expected to consist of tens of thousands of soldiers.

Indonesia has a long history of contributing troops to international policing missions under the United Nations, including the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Israel maintains close and long-standing relations with Azerbaijan in various fields, including security cooperation.

Last weekend, CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper met with Ilham Aliyev in Baku to discuss the matter.

The decision to deploy soldiers from these two Muslim-majority countries was made after Israel blocked Türkiye’s participation in the Gaza force.

Israel Hayom has learned that the US has accepted Israel’s position and that Turkish forces will not participate in military operations in Gaza.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also declined to join the mission. Additionally, President Donald Trump has clearly stated that US soldiers will not enter Gaza.

The idea of deploying Qatari soldiers to demilitarize Gaza was never seriously considered.

The coordination process for deploying soldiers from Indonesia and Azerbaijan is ongoing but is still in its initial stages.

One of the obstacles is Indonesia’s insistence that any international force must be authorized by a UN Security Council resolution.

Discussions to secure such a resolution have begun. However, Israel remains cautious about UN Security Council resolutions.

Meanwhile, France is pushing to include the establishment of a Palestinian state in the proposed resolution, a step Israel vehemently opposes.

Intense negotiations are underway between the parties to find a mutually acceptable formulation.

There are doubts in Israel about whether such a resolution will be accepted and whether an international force, if formed, could fulfill its mission. For now, the political directive to the defense establishment is to give the US-backed plan a chance.

However, many believe that at some stage, Israeli military intervention will be necessary to achieve these goals.

Another unresolved issue under discussion is whether the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will retain its operational freedom in Gaza against Hamas threats, similar to its current operations against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon.