Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel would have the authority to decide which foreign forces would be permitted to join an anticipated international force in Gaza to assist in upholding a delicate ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. It remains uncertain whether Arab and other nations will be willing to contribute troops, partly due to the reluctance of Palestinian Hamas militants to disarm as required by the plan, while Israel has raised concerns about the composition of the force.
Although the Trump administration has ruled out deploying U.S. troops into the Gaza Strip, discussions have been ongoing with countries such as Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to participate in the multinational force. Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s control over its security and the country’s prerogative to determine which foreign forces are unacceptable.
Last week, Netanyahu hinted at rejecting any involvement of Turkish security forces in Gaza, as relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated significantly during the Gaza conflict. Israel continues to regulate all access to Gaza, which was under siege for two years in support of Israel’s military actions against Hamas following the militant group’s cross-border attack in October 2023.
Hamas announced on Sunday that it had expanded its search for the remains of hostages in Gaza, with Egypt having deployed a team and heavy equipment to assist in the recovery efforts. The ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. mandates Hamas to promptly return the bodies of all Israeli hostages, with Israel agreeing to repatriate 15 bodies of Palestinians for each Israeli body returned.
The next steps under the ceasefire plan involve disarming Hamas and addressing the post-war governance of Gaza, where humanitarian aid access is a pressing concern. International media access to Gaza remains restricted, with only limited visits permitted under Israeli military supervision.
Netanyahu defended the Israeli military’s actions following strikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, while Hamas condemned the attack as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu affirmed Israel’s commitment to its security and dismissed speculations of external influence on Israel’s security decisions in Gaza.
Israel had previously targeted Nuseirat in response to alleged killings of two soldiers by Hamas militants, resulting in multiple casualties. The conflict in Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 68,500 Palestinians over two years, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, although Israel disputes this figure.
