Israeli Cabinet Approves Deployment of Foreign Troops to Gaza Strip

[Financial News] Israel's government has approved the entry of a multinational security force into the Gaza Strip under the ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The decision was made abruptly, one day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States.
On the 26th local time, Israeli media reported that the government held a security cabinet meeting and approved the legal framework allowing multinational forces to enter the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a summit with Trump at The White House on the 28th.
The mission force, named the International Stabilization Force (ISF), will be deployed first to areas of the Gaza Strip that are not under Israeli control.
The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, citing sources, reported that only National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir voted against the measure. Ben-Gvir reportedly argued that Israel should not implement the agreement first while Hamas has not yet laid down its weapons and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip has not been achieved.
In contrast, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar voted in favor, stressing that the deployment is part of an international initiative. Sa'ar defended the need for the force, saying, "This effort may not succeed, but that does not mean we should be the ones to block this plan from moving forward."
Israel's public broadcaster also reported that, following the security cabinet's decision, a command headquarters for the International Stabilization Force will be established near Rafah in southern Gaza Strip.
Nikolay Mladenov, chairman of the Gaza Peace Council, immediately welcomed the decision. He emphasized that the top priority now is to ensure the implementation of the roadmap proposed by the mediating countries, including Trump's "20-point plan for peace in the Gaza Strip."
Mladenov said on X, formerly Twitter, that "this deployment is the agreed core framework for stabilizing the Gaza Strip, supporting demilitarization, and transitioning to an effective Palestinian transitional government under the Gaza Administrative State Committee (NCAG)."
The ISF, operating under the Peace Council, is one of four key bodies outlined in Trump's postwar governance plan for the Gaza Strip. The plan includes the release of Israeli hostages, Hamas disarmament, the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, the establishment of a technocratic government, and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the agreement took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. Hamas says it has fulfilled its obligations and continues to accuse Israel of violating the terms of the deal and delaying implementation of the second phase.
An Israeli government official said the ISF will consist of about 200 personnel, mainly from countries friendly to Israel such as the Republic of Uganda and Morocco, and that each contingent must receive Israel's prior approval before entering the Gaza Strip.
The exact timing of their deployment has not yet been decided.
The move is intended to help stabilize the devastated Gaza Strip after two years of full-scale war that began with Hamas's attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas has strongly rejected disarmament, leaving Trump's plan effectively stalled. Members of the transitional body that would oversee Gaza, the Gaza Administrative State Committee (NCAG), are also still outside the Gaza Strip.
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