Israel Reportedly Approves Initial 250 Foreign Troops for Gaza

Israel has reportedly authorized an initial contingent of about 250 foreign troops for Gaza as preparations advance for a multinational force. A report published November 9 describes visits by foreign military officers accompanied by American personnel to the Gaza border area during the preceding two weeks. The prospective contributors named in the report include Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Uganda and Albania. Kazakhstan has offered medical and logistical support, while Kosovo has offered security and policing assistance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is pressing Washington to include Turkey. Israeli officials oppose Turkish participation, citing Ankara’s policies and rhetoric toward Israel and the presence of Hamas in Turkey. The reported American preparations include continued deliveries of vehicles and equipment to a former Israeli military base near Gaza, in the area of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade. Transport vehicles, medical evacuation vehicles and armed armored vehicles are among the equipment described. Work at the site includes guard towers, surveillance systems, lighting and perimeter improvements, with American personnel providing security around the clock. Engineering preparations also concern a planned Emirati-associated residential compound in Rafah. According to the report, the initial foreign contingent would secure the surrounding area as part of a limited pilot. Residents would undergo security screening requiring Israeli approval. Israeli security officials describe Hamas’s disarmament and the transfer of control to a third party as the political conditions for the process.