Three months after President Donald Trump's Board of Peace announced plans for a 20,000-strong International Stabilization Force for Gaza, the mission remains grounded with zero significant troop contributions from the five countries that pledged support, raising questions about the viability of international peacekeeping efforts and leaving U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers with no force to command.
The planned stabilization force, unveiled at the inaugural meeting of Trump's Board of Peace in February 2026, was designed to ensure "future prosperity and enduring peace" following the devastating Israel-Hamas war. However, the initiative has encountered severe setbacks as participating nations have either suspended commitments or limited their involvement to minimal contributions, exposing the challenges of multilateral coordination in volatile security environments.
Indonesia's Withdrawal Deals Critical Blow
The most significant setback came approximately one week after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, when Indonesia placed its commitment of 8,000 troops on indefinite hold. The withdrawal eliminated the largest single contribution to the force, which had planned to deploy 1,000 troops in April 2026 followed by the remainder in June. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin cited a lack of implementation guidelines from Washington and said "new dynamics have emerged," noting that "because the intensity of the conflict between U.S. and Iranian forces remains very high, the BoP has tended to be left behind."
Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, director of the Indonesia-Middle East/North Africa desk at Jakarta's Center for Economic and Law Studies, identified domestic pressures behind Indonesia's decision. The Iran war remains extremely unpopular in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, while the economy suffers from soaring prices resulting from the conflict. Indonesia lost four peacekeepers during fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, further dampening public support for international commitments. "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.
Hamas Disarmament Remains Non-Negotiable
Nickolay Mladenov, the former Bulgarian defense minister appointed by Trump to direct the Board of Peace, told the U.N. on May 21, 2026, that the international force cannot begin operations until agreement and implementation of a second ceasefire phase occurs, requiring Hamas to disarm and Israel to begin withdrawing from the 60% of Gaza it currently controls. "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."
Hamas has refused to disarm and accuses Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire, holding up further implementation. Israeli strikes have killed more than 880 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, according to local health officials, though Israel maintains it was responding to truce violations. An Egyptian official with knowledge of closed-door talks said Hamas is demanding Israel withdraw from areas seized since the ceasefire started, and that many countries pledging forces refuse to send troops without a deal on Hamas disarming.
Remaining Pledges Fall Short
The other four countries in the coalition—Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania—have provided minimal commitments. Kazakhstan limited its support to "the humanitarian component," including medical units with a field hospital. Albania's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Arben Kingji, told reporters earlier this month that while the military had "participated in reconnaissance activities," no troops had been sent, and only a few would be dispatched to the stabilization force headquarters. Kosovo, expected to send 20 troops, said in April 2026 it was in the "final phase of preparations." Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said at the Board of Peace inaugural meeting that it would deploy "high-level military officers to the joint military command of the ISF."
The U.S. military's Central Command declined to comment or make Jeffers available for an interview, referring queries to the Board of Peace. Board of Peace spokesman Brad Klapper also declined to comment on Indonesia's decision or the force's future.
Despite the setbacks, Rakhmat suggested eventual Indonesian participation remains possible. President Prabowo Subianto, a former army general seeking to raise Indonesia's global profile, wants to avoid jeopardizing economic ties with the U.S. "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 to the Gaza stabilization force underscores fundamental challenges in relying on international coalitions for security operations, particularly when participating nations face domestic economic pressures and lack clear operational guidelines. The stalled deployment highlights how multilateral peacekeeping initiatives can founder without firm commitments and unified command structures. The deadlock over Hamas disarmament reveals the difficulty of achieving lasting peace when armed militant groups refuse to surrender weapons, a prerequisite for reconstruction and the restoration of civil order. With Israeli forces controlling 60% of Gaza and no international presence to fill the security vacuum, the prospects for stability and economic recovery remain uncertain, while the costs of maintaining the status quo continue to mount for both sides.