Khaberni - French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Baro announced on Thursday that his country would deploy 100 French security personnel in the Palestinian territories, in the first official indication from Paris about its participation in an international force for maintaining stability in the Gaza Strip.
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, confirmed that the Union is considering expanding its two security missions in Gaza and the West Bank, indicating that the Union will train 3000 Palestinian police officers in preparation for their deployment in the sector. Kallas emphasized that European efforts aim to achieve lasting peace in Gaza, within the framework of an international plan to support stability and protect civilians.
This announcement came days after the UN Security Council voted on an American resolution supporting President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza, which includes the establishment of an "international stability force" in cooperation with Israel, Egypt, and the newly trained Palestinian police, with the goal of securing border areas and disarming Palestinian factions, and establishing humanitarian corridors.
Diplomatic sources clarified that several countries, including Turkey, Indonesia, and Azerbaijan, have announced their readiness to participate in this force, while Israel has refused the participation of Turkish forces.
In the context of preparations, the United States began accelerated efforts to form a multinational force, with the first contingents expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip in early 2026, comprising a mix of infantry, engineering, intelligence, and police units designated to meet the security needs in the sector. U.S. officials reported that Washington is communicating with Arab and European countries to financially and logistically support the mission, to ensure the legitimacy and long-term stability of the force, even though operational preparations are still in their initial stages and training programs have not yet begun.
Conversely, Hamas has expressed its rejection of the resolution, considering that it does not meet the demands and rights of the Palestinians and undermines their right to self-determination, emphasizing that any discussion regarding the weapons issue should remain an internal matter, warning that providing the international force with disarmament duties in Gaza deprives it of its neutrality and turns it into a party in the conflict in favor of Israel.
