Four officers from the Moroccan military have arrived in Israel to join the nascent International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza, the US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace announced on Tuesday. The contingent landed on June 18 at the ISF headquarters in southern Israel, according to a Board official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Morocco leads Arab nations in Gaza force deployment
Morocco became the first Arab country to publicly commit to deploying police and military personnel to Gaza when it announced the move in February. The contingent is expected to help develop the force's overall structure and provide expertise in policing and other areas, the official said. The Board of Peace posted on X: "Their arrival strengthens the international effort to support the people of Gaza."
Trump's Gaza plan faces slow progress
The deployment is part of the second phase of Trump's plan for Gaza, announced in mid-January, which aims to end the war triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The plan, endorsed by the UN Security Council, led to a ceasefire that took effect in October. The second phase calls for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, disarmament of Hamas, and deployment of the ISF—a project that has seen repeated announcements but little tangible progress.
Hamas conditionally accepts international force
In late February, Hamas expressed openness to the presence of an international force in Gaza, provided it does not interfere in the territory's internal affairs. Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007. Israel now says it controls at least 70 percent of the Gaza Strip, up from just over half after its initial pullback on the first day of the truce.
Ceasefire violations and casualties mount
Israel and Hamas accuse each other almost daily of violating the ceasefire as efforts toward a lasting end to the war stall. At least 1,027 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, whose figures the UN considers reliable. The Israeli military reports losing five soldiers during the same period.
