Three months after its unveiling, an ambitious international peacekeeping force meant to stabilize Gaza remains entirely on paper, with none of the five countries that pledged troops delivering significant contributions as civilian casualties mount and the fragile ceasefire shows signs of collapse.
The International Stabilization Force for Gaza was announced at the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace in February 2026, with American officials promising a 20,000-strong force to ensure "future prosperity and enduring peace" after the devastating Israel-Hamas war. U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers was tapped to command the force, but today he has no troops to lead.
Largest Pledge Withdrawn
The most significant blow came when Indonesia, which had committed 8,000 troops—by far the largest pledge—put its participation on indefinite hold about a week after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, 2026. Indonesia had planned to send 1,000 troops in April 2026, followed by the remainder in June. The other pledging nations—Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania—have also failed to deliver meaningful contributions.
Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said last week that his country had "not yet received any implementation guidelines" from a distracted Washington. "Because the intensity of the conflict between U.S. and Iranian forces remains very high, the BoP has tended to be left behind. Since the BoP has been left behind, the ISF has also been left behind," he said, noting that "new dynamics have emerged."
Public Opposition and Economic Strain
Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, director of the Indonesia-Middle East/North Africa desk at Jakarta's Center for Economic and Law Studies, said domestic factors played a crucial role in Indonesia's decision. The Iran war is extremely unpopular in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, where the economy is suffering from soaring prices as a result of the conflict. "If you talk to the people on the street, I don't think they believe that the Board of Peace will actually help the people of Gaza," Rakhmat said.
Concerns about sending troops abroad intensified after Indonesia lost four peacekeepers who were part of the United Nations mission in Lebanon during fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. With the economy faltering, public opinion has soured further on such international commitments, Rakhmat noted.
Ceasefire Implementation Stalled
The U.S. military's Central Command declined to comment or make Jeffers available for an interview, referring all queries to the Board of Peace. Board of Peace spokesman Brad Klapper also declined to comment on Indonesia's decision or the future of the stabilization force, pointing instead to May 21, 2026 remarks made at the U.N. by Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian defense minister whom Trump appointed director of the Board of Peace.
Mladenov said the international force would not be able to begin operations until there was agreement and implementation of a second phase of the ceasefire, which would see Hamas disarm and Israel begin to withdraw. Israeli troops currently control some 60% of Gaza. Mladenov has blamed the deadlock on Hamas, saying its disarmament is "non-negotiable" and is holding up progress on other fronts, including Israel's withdrawal and reconstruction. "You cannot build a future with armed groups running the streets, hiding in tunnels and stockpiling weapons," Mladenov said in Jerusalem this month. "You cannot deliver reconstruction with militias on every corner."
Civilian Deaths Continue
Hamas says Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire, holding up its further implementation, and has accused Mladenov of siding with Israel. Israeli strikes have killed more than 880 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to local health officials. Israel says it was responding to violations of the truce.
Hamas is also demanding Israel withdraw from areas seized since the start of the ceasefire, according to an Egyptian official with knowledge of the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door talks. Egypt has long served as a mediator with Hamas. Many of the countries that have pledged forces have refused to send troops without a deal on Hamas disarming, the official said.
Other Nations Hedge Commitments
Kazakhstan has said its support for the stabilization force would be limited to "the humanitarian component," including sending medical units with a field hospital. Its Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Albania's Defense Ministry declined to comment on its troop commitment, saying it was a "dynamic and ongoing process." Earlier this month, its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Arben Kingji, told reporters that while the military had "participated in reconnaissance activities," no troops had yet been sent. He said only a few would be dispatched as part of the stabilization force headquarters, without giving numbers, adding that further contributions would be considered.
Kosovo, which is expected to send 20 troops, said in April that it was in the "final phase of preparations." The Defense Ministry did not reply to a request for an update. Morocco's Foreign Ministry also did not reply. At the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said it would deploy "high-level military officers to the joint military command of the ISF."
Despite the delays from Indonesia, Rakhmat said it was too early to rule out eventual participation in the stabilization force. President Prabowo Subianto is a former army general who has been keen to raise Indonesia's profile on the world stage and wants to avoid jeopardizing economic ties with the U.S., Rakhmat said. "Prabowo wants to strengthen ties to Washington and sign different agreements with the U.S., so to completely withdraw and completely cancel the plan, I don't think it's on the table," he said.
Why This Matters:
The collapse of troop commitments for the Gaza stabilization force leaves vulnerable Palestinian civilians without the international protection that was promised, while more than 880 have been killed since the ceasefire began. The failure highlights how geopolitical conflicts—particularly the U.S.-Iran war—can derail humanitarian interventions, leaving populations in crisis zones to bear the consequences of great power competition. For Indonesia and other Muslim-majority nations, public opposition reflects deep skepticism that Western-led initiatives will prioritize Palestinian welfare over strategic interests. Without credible international oversight, the cycle of violence continues unchecked, reconstruction remains impossible, and the prospect of lasting peace grows more distant. The stalemate also reveals the limits of unilateral diplomatic frameworks when multilateral cooperation and genuine commitment to civilian protection are absent.