Trump says he expects an international stabilization force to be deployed in Gaza “very soon”

President Donald Trump said Thursday he expects a US-coordinated international stabilization force to be deployed in Gaza “very soon,” following two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

According to Trump, the multinational force — expected to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates — forms a key part of his post-war governance plan for Gaza. The initiative helped pave the way for a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10, though the humanitarian situation in the enclave remains dire.

“It’s going to be very soon. And Gaza is working out very well,” Trump said at a White House event with Central Asian leaders. “You haven’t been hearing too much about problems, and I’ll tell you, we’ve had countries volunteer if there’s an issue with Hamas.”

The force will train and assist vetted Palestinian police units in Gaza, with support from Egypt and Jordan. It will also secure border areas and curb weapons smuggling to Hamas, which sparked the war with its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

On Wednesday, the United States circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution to partner nations seeking to formalize Trump’s plan and authorize the international force.

US envoy to the UN Mike Waltz shared the draft with the 10 elected Security Council members and several regional partners — including Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey — the US mission said in a statement. A vote has not yet been scheduled.

Diplomatic sources said several countries have expressed willingness to join the mission but are awaiting a UN mandate before deploying troops. The head of US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, reaffirmed during a recent visit to Gaza that no American troops would be stationed there.