A new report from The Wall Street Journal reveals the promised International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza is currently struggling to deploy an initial group of just 10 to 20 troops.
The force was originally envisioned as a 20,000-strong multinational peacekeeping presence tasked with securing Gaza and preventing the terrorist group Hamas from rebuilding its military. Instead, regional instability has severely hampered recruitment.
The deployment shortfall comes amid deep skepticism over political developments within Gaza. On Monday, Hamas announced that its governing body would step down and transfer administrative authority to a United Nations-backed Palestinian technocratic council.
Here’s the catch: Hamas conspicuously refused to commit to disarming its military wing.
Critics argue that Hamas is attempting to replicate the “Hezbollah model”—allowing a civilian administration to handle municipal duties like garbage collection while the terrorists maintain real power through their arsenal. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar strongly condemned the move, writing:
Hamas’s trick is simple. Hamas’s apparent willingness to “make room” for a technocratic government is designed to prevent its own disarmament. Hamas seeks to replicate the “Hezbollah model” in Gaza: a technocratic administration would be responsible for garbage collection and other municipal services, while Hamas would remain the dominant military force.
As long as Hamas retains its weapons, any civilian government will of course operate as Hamas dictates. This would allow Hamas to continue oppressing the Palestinian people in Gaza, while pursuing its jihadist war against Israel. Israel insists on the full implementation of the Trump plan, with its core principles being the disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations, and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas’s trick is simple.
Hamas’s apparent willingness to “make room” for a technocratic government is designed to prevent its own disarmament.
Hamas seeks to replicate the “Hezbollah model” in Gaza:
a technocratic administration would be responsible for garbage collection and…— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) July 6, 2026
The ISF’s current troop shortage underscores the massive hurdles facing the broader peace plan. A small contingent of Moroccan soldiers, originally scheduled to arrive in June, is now delayed by several months. Once they arrive, they will not enter Gaza immediately; instead, they will base themselves at a newly constructed logistics hub in Israel near the border to conduct training and limited reconnaissance operations.
Broader recruitment efforts have collapsed due to conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon. Indonesia—which had previously floated a commitment of thousands of peacekeepers—placed its participation on hold after four of its UN peacekeepers were killed during clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.
Until Hamas fully disarms, the civilian power transfer will remain entirely symbolic.
.png)
.png)
