Media: Azerbaijan may deploy its troops in Gaza

Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Indonesia are among the leading candidates to supply troops for a potential stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip, according to a U.S. defence official and a former U.S. defence official speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing discussions.

According to a defence official, negotiations over the composition of the force are continuing, and no country has yet made a firm commitment, Caliber.Az reports, citing Politico.

These countries have expressed the greatest interest, the official added. U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for peace in Gaza envisages a temporary international stabilisation force that would train and support vetted Palestinian police, while consulting with Egypt and Jordan. U.S. troops are not expected to be deployed inside Gaza itself.

The international force is considered a key element of Trump’s plan to end the conflict between Hamas and Israel and to lay the groundwork for Gaza’s eventual demilitarisation and reconstruction.

At the earliest, establishing such a force is likely to take several months. Many diplomats and analysts remain sceptical that the plan will move beyond its current phase, which centres on a ceasefire in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages in Israel.

“It’s a two to three month prospect from the day the decision is reached” on who will participate, said Dan Shapiro, the top Middle East official at the Pentagon during the Biden administration.

The White House and the embassies of Indonesia, Pakistan and Azerbaijan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. has already deployed 200 troops to Israel to help coordinate the ceasefire and stabilisation efforts. These forces, under U.S. Central Command, will be based at a civil-military coordination centre north of Gaza. Troops from Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also expected to be stationed at the centre, with Egyptian forces currently assisting in the retrieval of bodies of deceased hostages in Gaza.

A former U.S. defence official noted that coordinating with Indonesia and Azerbaijan adds complexity because they are outside CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.

Other technical and administrative aspects of the effort have yet to be announced, with no additional teams from the State Department or other parts of the U.S. government confirmed to manage the operation.

Hamas agreed to a peace deal on October 8 and recently released its remaining 20 hostages, although it has so far returned only seven of the 28 bodies of those who died in captivity. Israel has accused Hamas of violating the agreement by delaying the handover of the deceased.

Asked about the next phase of the plan, which involves the disarmament of Hamas, President Trump said: “Everyone says, ‘Oh, well, they won’t disarm.’ They will disarm. I spoke to Hamas, and I said, ‘You’re going to disarm, right?’ ‘Yes, sir, we’re going to disarm.’ That’s what they told me. They will disarm or we will disarm them. Got it?”

Shapiro argued that clarifying the structure of a stabilisation force now could help overcome scepticism regarding the U.S.’s ability to progress the plan.

“It’s important to show momentum. It’s important to identify these countries, have them step forward, have the mandate agreed upon, have the structure agreed upon and demonstrate that the troops are actually being prepared for deployment,” he said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev