Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated on Monday that Israel would not permit Turkish troops to participate in an international force proposed by the United States to oversee the ceasefire agreement in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The 20-point deal, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month, calls for a force to monitor the ceasefire but does not specify which countries will contribute troops.
The agreement indicates that the U.S. will collaborate with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force to deploy in Gaza. This force is intended to train and support "vetted Palestinian police forces" and will consult with Jordan and Egypt, nations that have considerable experience in this domain.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement is currently underway, focusing on the exchange of remaining dead hostages in Gaza for Palestinian bodies held by Israel. The Israeli military announced late Monday that the remains of another hostage had been returned to Israel. Since the ceasefire began on October 10, the remains of 16 hostages have been returned, with 12 bodies still needing recovery in Gaza.
Concerns have been raised by various countries about the mandate of the proposed international force, with some Arab and Muslim nations asserting that the primary objective must be peacekeeping, rather than enforcing peace between Israel and Hamas. King Abdullah II of Jordan commented that clarity on the mandate of security forces in Gaza is essential, emphasizing the necessity for a peacekeeping focus to gain international support.
During an address to journalists in Hungary, Saar reiterated Israel's opposition to Turkish troop involvement in Gaza, citing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s long-standing antagonism toward Israel. Saar mentioned that Israel has communicated its position to U.S. officials explicitly. He emphasized that countries willing to send armed forces should exhibit fairness toward Israel.
Currently, U.S. officials assert that there will be no American troops deployed on the ground in Gaza; about 200 U.S. personnel are presently in Israel, assisting in planning Gaza’s stabilization and reconstruction. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during their recent visits to Israel, indicated that several countries have expressed interest in contributing to the international force for Gaza.
The United States is working towards securing a U.N. mandate or other forms of international authorization for the envisioned force. The ceasefire agreement outlines that Israeli troops will gradually withdraw from more areas in Gaza as the international force establishes control and stability and Hamas militants disarm.
As the exchange of Gaza hostages and the repatriation of Palestinian bodies in Israel continue, Israel has returned a total of 195 Palestinian bodies to Gaza, with fewer than half of them identified. On Monday, 41 unidentified bodies were buried in a mass grave in Deir al-Balah, while a funeral for a slain hostage, Yossi Sharabi, took place in Israel after his remains were returned earlier this month. Over the previous weekend, Egypt dispatched a team of experts and heavy equipment to assist in the ongoing search for the remaining hostages’ bodies in Gaza, which continued in Khan Younis on Monday.
The last 20 living hostages were returned to Israel when the ceasefire commenced, in exchange for Israel releasing approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Most of those released had been detained during the ongoing conflict and were held without charge, although some were convicted for historical attacks on Israelis, as reported by Israel’s Justice Ministry.
In regards to Turkey's involvement, Erdoğan has publicly expressed Turkey's readiness to provide various forms of support to Gaza. Turkey's Defense Ministry has indicated preparations for any potential role, whether in peacekeeping or humanitarian assistance. Despite having a history of strong diplomatic relations, ties between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated significantly amidst the ongoing war, primarily instigated by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Erdoğan has been openly critical of Israel during the conflict, accusing it of genocide and has drawn controversial comparisons between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler. Turkey, which does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, maintains close relations with the group, often framing its ties as part of its broader support for the Palestinian cause. Prime Minister Netanyahu has asserted that Israel will determine which foreign forces are unacceptable, a stance that reportedly aligns with the views expressed by U.S. officials in recent discussions.
