Gaza-Beirut: Europe and the Arabs

An Israeli report stated that three countries have agreed to a US request to send troops to Gaza as part of an international stabilization force under the second phase of the agreement.

According to the Brussels-based European news network Euronews, US efforts are intensifying to advance the "second phase of the agreement" concerning the Gaza Strip, in parallel with preparations for a meeting scheduled for December 29 between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, described as pivotal in shaping the next phase.

In this context, a report published by the Hebrew website Ynet stated that briefings presented during the latest Israeli cabinet meeting indicated that three countries have agreed to a US request to send troops to participate in the "International Stabilization Force in Gaza (ISF)." The three countries were not named, but according to the report, one of them is Indonesia.

The report also noted uncertainty regarding Azerbaijan, which had previously expressed its willingness to send troops but is now hesitant following pressure from Turkey. Other countries, including Italy, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, have also been mentioned as potential contributors to the force.

Additional preparations for Phase Two
According to briefings, moving to Phase Two, even if officially announced by the United States, will require additional logistical preparations. The report stated that "at least several more weeks" will be necessary to finalize the plan, assemble the international stabilization force, and deploy troops in the Gaza Strip.

President Donald Trump poses for a photo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday, October 13, 2025.
President Donald Trump poses for a photo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday, October 13, 2025. Evan Vucci/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.

The website quoted a senior Israeli official as saying, following a cabinet meeting, that "Trump and Netanyahu's initial plan was to expand the Abraham Accords after the war ended and the hostages were returned, but this path now faces a much greater challenge." He added that "the focus at this stage is on the second phase and the issue of the multinational force."

The official emphasized that "Turkey will not be part of this force," saying, "We will not be forced to include a country we don't want, and we don't want Turkey."

The official explained that moving to the second phase "would have taken time even if Ran Gvili had returned alive, because the force is not yet ready," noting that the United States wants to finalize all arrangements before the force enters Gaza. He added that "there are very serious doubts within Israel about the international force's ability to disarm Hamas, but it must be given a chance." The Possibility of Russian Participation in the International Force

Regarding the possibility of Russian participation, given its renewed involvement in Syria, the official said, "Russian participation is not necessarily a negative thing, and it could be a counterweight to Turkey," noting that the Syrian interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is facing numerous internal problems in Syria.

He added that Israel had believed that signing a preliminary security framework with Syria could have been done more quickly, "but Syria is unstable."

"We Are Ready to Act in Lebanon"

The official addressed the tensions with Lebanon following earlier Israeli military strikes, saying that "the Lebanese government is very keen to dismantle Hezbollah but is facing significant difficulties." He pointed out that less than a week remains before the end of the "internal Lebanese deadline" for the first phase of Hezbollah's disarmament.

He added, "The approach in Israel is to continue holding territory and carrying out operations," emphasizing that security assessments are being conducted continuously, with a readiness to act "if and when all options are exhausted and there is no alternative."

Further Developments
According to the briefings, Hamas remains active and continues to arm itself. It is regaining some of its capabilities, though not to its previous level. Officials also noted an "acceleration in Iran's ballistic missile production."