Israel will not allow Turkish troops to take part in an international force the United States has proposed to oversee the ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Israel’s top diplomat said Monday.
The 20-point deal brokered by US President Donald Trump earlier this month calls for a force to monitor the ceasefire but does not mention which countries would provide troops.
It says the US would “work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force” to deploy in Gaza. The force would train and provide support to “vetted Palestinian police forces” and will “consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field.”
The ceasefire agreement calls for Israeli troops to gradually withdraw from more areas of Gaza as the international force “establishes control and stability” and as Hamas militants disarm.
Countries that are considering taking part also want more clarity on the force’s mandate. Officials from some Arab and Muslim nations have said the focus must be on peacekeeping in Gaza, not acting as an enforcer of peace between Israel and Hamas.
“What is the mandate of security forces inside of Gaza? And we hope that it is peacekeeping, because if it’s peace enforcing, nobody will want to touch that,” King Abdullah II of Jordan said in an interview with the BBC.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to Hungary, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel opposes the participation of Turkish troops in Gaza because of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘s longstanding hostility to Israel. Saar said Israel has communicated its stance to US officials.
“Countries that want or are ready to send armed forces should be at least fair to Israel,” Saar said. He did not elaborate.