Plans for an international stabilisation force in Gaza, announced with fanfare in February, have stalled three months on, with no significant troop contributions materialising. The force, intended to secure peace after the Israel-Hamas war, was to be led by US Major General Jasper Jeffers and comprise 20,000 troops from five countries.
The biggest setback came when Indonesia, the largest pledger with 8,000 troops, put its commitment on indefinite hold. Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin cited a lack of implementation guidelines from Washington, which he said was distracted by the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Iran war has also made it harder for Arab and Muslim leaders to cooperate openly with the US and Israel, while global energy crises have strained resources.
Domestic factors may have influenced Indonesia's decision, according to analyst Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat. The Iran war is deeply unpopular in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, and the economy is suffering from soaring prices. Public scepticism about the Board of Peace, which oversees the force, is widespread, and the loss of four Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon has further soured opinion on international commitments.
Board of Peace spokesman Brad Klapper declined to comment on Indonesia's decision, instead pointing to remarks by director Nickolay Mladenov. Mladenov said the force cannot begin operations until a second phase of the ceasefire is implemented, requiring Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw. Israeli troops currently control about 60% of Gaza.
Mladenov has blamed Hamas for the deadlock, calling its disarmament non-negotiable. Hamas, however, accuses Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and says Mladenov is biased. Israeli strikes have killed over 880 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to local health officials, while Israel says it is responding to truce violations.
