Israeli Estimates: Washington Will Decide the Fate of the International Gaza Force Within Weeks

SadaNews: The Israeli military institution estimates that the U.S. administration will take between weeks to months before making a final decision regarding the establishment of a multinational force, viewed as a prerequisite for launching the second phase of President Donald Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, legal experts from the United Nations are consulting with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on the powers of the force, while planning teams in Kiryat Gat are preparing the field infrastructure to accommodate it. Representatives from 21 countries are participating in daily meetings at the U.S. coordination headquarters, discussing intricate details related to the name of the force, the entity granting the mandate, the nature of its armament, areas of deployment, and mechanisms to prevent any unintended clashes with the Israeli military.

The teams are also looking into the distribution of field tasks, including dealing with the remaining tunnels within the sector and collecting weapons from armed factions, whether through understanding or by force. There is a general trend towards making the main base of the force within Gaza itself, in line with the insistence of Israeli security agencies, despite concerns raised by some participating countries, particularly Islamic ones, regarding the safety of their soldiers.

The newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" clarified that these discussions are based on Security Council Resolution 2803, which is considered a step toward "new governance in Gaza without Hamas." Despite the absence of representatives from the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, and Qatar from the meetings, the roles of Ankara and Doha are strongly present in the discussions, as they are key sources of funding and reconstruction.

The report also noted that Israeli intelligence officers are providing daily presentations to foreign delegations about Hamas's operational methods, the structure of its factions, and the patterns of its attacks, with the aim of preparing the international force for potential encounters. Training for force elements is being conducted at bases in Jordan and Egypt, possibly with the participation of Palestinian elements being prepared for similar tasks.

In parallel, other files are being discussed, such as managing humanitarian aid, controlling the entry of dual-use materials, and reshaping the education and religious discourse systems in Gaza, in line with the U.S.-Israeli vision for reshaping the reality within the sector.

In conclusion, the report indicated that the prevailing opinion in Israeli security agencies is that the future of Gaza will trend, in any case, towards "local Palestinian governance" subject to "temporary international oversight, intervention, and assistance," acknowledging that this "temporary" could later transform into a permanent reality.