Indonesia Considers Deploying 8,000 Troops for Gaza So-called ’Peace Plan’

By Staff, Agencies

Indonesia is preparing up to 8,000 troops for a potential Gaza peacekeeping mission, reflecting Jakarta’s interest in post-war efforts and President Prabowo Subianto’s goal to boost the country’s global security role.

Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak stated that the plan remains under evaluation, with final troop numbers and deployment timelines contingent on further coordination within the military command structure.

A late-Monday statement after a Jakarta meeting chaired by President Prabowo said the proposed mission would center on engineering and medical units, emphasizing humanitarian and reconstruction work rather than combat.

President Prabowo has cast Indonesia as a potential peacekeeping force, saying at the UN it could deploy “20,000 or more” troops for Gaza or other conflicts, while stepping up diplomatic engagement, including a Gaza summit and joining the US-led so-called “Board of Peace.”

He has said Indonesia would consider ties with “Israel” only if Palestinian statehood is recognized, in line with its long-standing pro-Palestinian stance.

This follows an October Politico report, citing anonymous US and former officials, that Indonesia, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan were leading candidates to contribute troops to a proposed Gaza “stabilization force.”

Under Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, the US would work with regional partners to deploy a temporary international force focused on training and supporting vetted Palestinian police, with Egypt and Jordan closely consulted.

Additionally, the plan bars US troops from Gaza, with Politico saying the stabilization force is central to Trump’s push to end the war, demilitarize the territory, and enable reconstruction.