Forming the International Stabilization Force (ISF) faces considerable obstacles, most notably the refusal of some countries to send troops to the Strip to avoid involvement in a peace-keeping mission that could entail direct confrontation with Hamas. Furthermore, Israel holds a veto power over the participation of certain states, such as Turkiye. The process of disarming Hamas presents complex challenges. These include the nature of the weapons, mechanisms for collection and monitoring, as well as determining which entity will oversee the disarmament and receive these arms. Trump’s plan also lacks any political horizon for Hamas in the “day after,” which makes the prospects of disarmament highly unlikely. The US appears to be prioritizing the formation and deployment of the ISF in the Gaza Strip. Initial deployment is expected to begin in areas controlled by the Israeli army. The ISF’s mandate will include enforcing security, managing the entry of humanitarian aid into these areas and rehabilitating civilian infrastructure. Washington anticipates that initiating the plan in areas under Israeli control will pressure Hamas to comply with the agreement’s disarmament provisions. Following this phase, the US is expected to grant Israel greater operational latitude to conduct targeted military actions – such as tunnel destruction and strikes on military infrastructure – similar to ongoing operations in Lebanon.
