Charting a course for Gaza: The debate over a multinational peacekeeping force

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

What will happen after the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip?

According to POLITICO, discussions are underway concerning the establishment of a multinational or a Palestinian peacekeeping force.

Axios reported that this force aims to uphold the rule of law and order in Gaza while accompanying humanitarian aid convoys. Additionally, it will be responsible for securing the temporary port established by Washington off the Gaza coast.

However, the participating countries in this force remain unclear at the moment.

While the United States may not directly join, it may provide financial support, as reported by POLITICO.

Arab nations have conveyed to the Biden administration that they will only engage in such a force with a serious plan for a two-state solution. As per Axios, Arab countries are not currently prepared to deploy troops to secure aid convoys but may consider participating in peacekeeping forces post-war.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant raised the idea of forming a multinational military force during his recent visit to Washington. Secretary Blinken also discussed it during his talks with several Arab foreign ministers in Cairo last week.

Axios revealed that Israeli officials have discussed this matter with three Arab countries, including Egypt, without disclosing the names of the others.

However, according to LBCI, Jordan will not be part of this military force, refuting any proposal to establish a multinational force in Gaza, although this proposal is not new.

Bloomberg previously mentioned that the United States and Israel were exploring plans for Gaza's future after Hamas' rule, specifically regarding the presence of multinational forces.

Despite reports of progress in the proposal for deploying a multinational force in Gaza, some observers believe the project's success remains low due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to a two-state solution.