Under pressure from Israel, Turkey may be excluded from the planned international stabilisation force in Gaza.
The decision is another sign of strained Israeli-Turkish relations, as debates intensify in the region over the post-war balance of power and the distribution of aid.
Now Turkey is no longer expected to be invited to join the planned 5,000-strong stabilisation force—intended to maintain order in the post-war period—after Israel indicated that it did not want Turkish soldiers on the mission, according to the London-based Guardian.
U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio said that Israel must be satisfied with the composition of the international force. Although Ankara has offered to participate, Jerusalem opposes Turkish forces taking part, with Egypt expected to take the operational lead.
Tensions are not new: the Israeli government considers Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an unreliable partner due to his links with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. However, Turkey’s exclusion could spark controversy, as Ankara is one of the named guarantors of Trump’s 20-point ceasefire agreement and operates one of the largest Muslim armies. The stabilisation force will be tasked with disarming Hamas and ensuring the functioning of a transitional Palestinian government, even while the dispute over the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza continues to intensify.
On Wednesday, October 22nd, U.S. vice president JD Vance met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss these challenging tasks.
The United States and Israel also plan to exclude the UN Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) from providing aid, a move criticised by several European countries and the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Meanwhile, Palestinian factions—including Hamas and Fatah—agreed in Cairo on Friday that an independent technocratic committee would take over the administration of the Gaza Strip during the post-war transitional period.
