Israeli UN envoy urges international stabilisation force be posted in Gaza as soon as possible

Negotiations in Security Council continue over creation of new force expected to disarm Hamas but expert says 'reality and theory are going to be different'

The destruction in Gaza shown on October 21. Reuters

Israel said on Thursday that a mix of regional and international forces should lead the proposed stabilisation mission in Gaza, stressing the need to begin the process swiftly.

Part of the proposed peace plan for Gaza is the establishment of an international stabilisation force that will help to ensure the ceasefire is maintained.

“I think it should be a combination of countries from the region, moderate countries from the region, and other international forces,” Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon told The National.

“And for sure, they will have to take part in the disarmament and the inspection. You know, it will be a long process but we have to start it as soon as possible."

Negotiations are continuing among UN Security Council members and regional powers over the structure of the mission.

The National has learnt that the US, UK, and France are advancing a draft UN Security Council resolution that would authorise an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to assume broad security control of the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces withdraw from key areas. The force is also expected to play a role in disarming Hamas.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for Israel on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration might seek a United Nations mandate for the proposed international force.

While Washington has pushed for a multinational stabilisation force in Gaza to oversee security and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, the 20-point peace proposal made no mention of assigning the ISF responsibility for disarming Hamas, and no timeline had been set for such an effort.

According to a UN diplomat, the detailed guidelines defining the ISF’s mandate and methods are still being drawn up.

Disarming Hamas could prove to be “the toughest issue”, said David Makovsky, a senior adviser to the special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during Barack Obama's administration. He warned that Gaza could effectively split into two zones if the militant group refuses to lay down arms.

“Everyone is going to try to see if there’s a Security Council resolution that would provide some sort of an international imprimatur for their presence. But my feeling is the reality and the theory are going to be different,” Mr Makovsky told The National.

“The theory is one Gaza. And the reality is, if Hamas does not disarm, you will see two zones of Gaza and the international system will flock to the more hopeful zone where Hamas is not in control."

He added that he doubted that the ISF would take on a combat role, describing it instead as “more of an advisory force, maybe working along the borders”.

Mr Makovsky said Arab states would be reluctant to disarm Hamas by force, predicting a "West Berlin, East Berlin" of Gaza scenario, with reconstruction concentrated in the about 53 per cent of the territory “inside the yellow line”, where Israel has largely cleared Hamas, while the rest remains under its control.

"They've stayed out of it because they understand this very point … that people are not going to invest their money and just to help Hamas rebuild," he explained.

Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), urged the UN Security Council to ensure that any task force established under the ceasefire agreement allocates “equal resources and urgency” to identifying Palestinian and Israeli victims.

She said the ISF must have full authority over Gaza’s borders to prevent further violence and guarantee unhindered aid delivery.

The UN resolution, she added, should authorise the ISF to control all crossing points — including Rafah, Kerem Shalom, and Erez — to inspect and facilitate humanitarian and commercial flows, noting that the force “cannot function effectively if Israel retains veto power over its operations.”