Moroccan Officers Arrive in Israel to Participate in International Force in Gaza

SadaNews - The "Peace Council" announces the arrival of four Moroccan officers in Israel to join an international force that is supposed to be deployed in the Gaza Strip, as part of the second phase of the American plan that includes a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of a stabilization force, while its main provisions remain stalled. Officers from the Moroccan army arrived in Israel to join the international force that is expected to be deployed in the Gaza Strip, according to the "Peace Council" chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump. According to a council official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, the unit arrived on June 18 at the headquarters of the international stabilization force in the southern part of the country. The official stated that the unit is expected to participate in "completing the organizational framework" for the international force and to provide expertise in various fields, including police work. The official emphasized the presence of four Moroccan officers within the force, without specifying if there are additional personnel included. For its part, the "Peace Council" stated in a post on the X platform that the arrival of Moroccan officers "strengthens international efforts to support the people of Gaza". Morocco had announced last February its readiness to deploy police and military forces in the Gaza Strip, becoming the first Arab country to officially make such a declaration. This announcement came as part of the second phase of the U.S. plan regarding the Gaza Strip, which Washington announced to launch in mid-January, claiming that its goal is to end the war in the region. However, this plan has not yet been translated into complete practical steps on the ground, despite the ceasefire that came into effect last October being part of the understandings that accompanied it. The second phase of the plan, according to Sada News follow-up, stipulates a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, disarming Hamas, and deploying an international stabilization force, but these provisions have not been implemented so far. In late February, Hamas announced that it is open to the presence of an international force in the Gaza Strip, provided it does not interfere in the internal affairs of the territory. This comes amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza despite the ceasefire announced after two years of war, while efforts aimed at reaching a final settlement continue to face multiple obstacles. According to figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 1,027 Palestinians have been killed since the announcement of the truce, while the Israeli army reported the deaths of five of its soldiers during the same period.