US Pushes For So-Called ’International’ Military Force In Gaza

By Staff, Agencies

The United States is pushing for the creation of a so-called international military force to be deployed to the besieged Gaza Strip, American officials claimed, a move believed to be aimed at extending Washington’s influence in the region under the guise of “stabilization.”

The US is moving to form the military force, two unnamed senior US advisers told Reuters on Wednesday, a plan Washington claims would help stabilize the Palestinian territory.

The formation of a US-backed “stabilization force” is one of the top requirements of American President Donald Trump's so-called 20-point Gaza plan, as tensions still remain high between "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] and fighters of the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas.

“Right now what we're looking to accomplish is just a basic stabilization of the situation. The international stabilization force is starting to be constructed,” one adviser said, as Washington has already agreed to send up to 200 troops to support the force without being deployed in Gaza itself.

According to the advisors, Washington has spoken to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, and Azerbaijan – among others – about contributing to the force.

They added that there were up to two dozen American troops in the region to help set up the operation, serving in a “coordination, oversight” role.

“The goal is to use all the different local partners who want to help and be involved,” one adviser noted.

Meanwhile, Trump said that he does not see a reason for the US military to directly get involved in the blockaded Palestinian territory.

“I don’t see that - no. I think we’re going to handle it very well,” he said, adding that the US military would not be needed to disarm Hamas.

Hamas has returned 20 living "Israeli" captives and the remains of seven out of 28 dead captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. It stated that retrieving more bodies from Gaza's ruins requires specialized equipment.

The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades stated they’ve fulfilled their commitment by releasing all living "Israeli" captives and accessible remains, adding that retrieving the rest requires special equipment and significant effort.

This comes as the "Israeli" minister for war, Yisrael Katz, warned that the IOF would resume its aggression on the besieged territory.

Katz’s office warned that if Hamas refuses the deal, "Israel," backed by the US, will resume fighting to defeat Hamas, reshape Gaza, and meet the war’s objectives.