Board of Peace chief signals quick deployment of international forces to Gaza

The formation of International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza could begin within days and weeks, Director General of the Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, stated 

In an interview with The National, Mladenov emphasised that reconstruction could truly begin once the committee is in control of Gaza, and significant progress has been made on the issue of disarmament, Caliber.Az reports.

“I think you'll see the beginning of the ISF start coming together in the coming days and weeks, with deployments on the ground,” Mladenov said.

As previously stated by the commander of a newly created International Stabilisation Force (ISF), Jasper Jeffers, troops for the international contingent will be provided by Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Kosovo, while Egypt and Jordan will train police personnel.

Eventually, about 20,000 military personnel and 12,000 police officers are expected to ensure security in the enclave. Mladenov earlier noted that around 2,000 local recruits were initially planned for the transitional Palestinian police forces, but interest now exceeds expectations. Training will take place in Egypt.

In October 2025, Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Türkiye, agreed on the first phase of a Gaza peace plan, which was followed by a ceasefire. Under the agreement, Israeli forces withdrew to the so-called “yellow line,” retaining control over more than half of the enclave.

On January 4, US presidential envoy Steven Witkoff announced the start of the second phase of the settlement. This phase involves disarming Palestinian militant groups, full Israeli troop withdrawal, deployment of international stabilisation forces, and establishment of governance structures in the sector.

The international contingent is expected to manage field hospitals, restore critical infrastructure, and oversee search-and-rescue operations to recover the bodies of Palestinians from the rubble.

By Jeyhun Aghazada