Israel approves entry of International Stabilization Force into Gaza

July 28, 2026 | FDD's Long War Journal Israel approves entry of International Stabilization Force into Gaza July 28, 2026 | FDD's Long War Journal Israel approves entry of International Stabilization Force into Gaza On July 26, the Israeli government’s cabinet approved the entry of forces from the International Stabilization Force (ISF) into Gaza in the near future. The development envisions an initial deployment of up to 200 troops with the approval of Israel’s prime minister, minister of defense, and minister of foreign affairs. The ISF is expected to be composed of soldiers and personnel from Kosovo, Albania, Morocco, and possibly Kazakhstan and other countries. As the ISF prepares to enter Gaza, Israel continues to carry out strikes on Hamas and other terrorists in the territory. The Board of Peace, established with the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza, praised Israel’s decision to move forward with the ISF. “Very important development in the process to deliver peace, prosperity, and development in Gaza. The International Stabilization Force serves a critical role in the scaling of humanitarian services and reconstruction for the people of Gaza,” the board noted on July 26. “These efforts will move forward with concrete actions over the coming months to introduce a new model of governance, security, and economic opportunity.” The Gaza 20-point peace plan, announced in early October 2025 and backed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, has been incrementally supported by the US over the last 10 months. US Central Command set up a Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC ) in October 2025, followed by the creation of a facility near the Gaza border called Logistic Support Area: Endurance in June. In January, Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian official, was appointed as the high representative of the Board of Peace for Gaza. “I welcome steps by Israel that enable the deployment of the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803,” Mladenov wrote on X on July 26. He added that the development is critical for stabilizing Gaza and supporting demilitarization and would help enable a transition to a new Palestinian administration run by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). “The focus now [is] on ensuring that we move forward with the 20-point Plan for Gaza, including the implementation of the Roadmap as presented by the mediators,” Mladenov stated. While some Israeli politicians expressed skepticism about the next steps in Gaza, the next few weeks are expected to see the first actions by the ISF. “The Cabinet decision effectively grants special status to the Board of Peace in Gaza and constitutes Israeli consent to launch a pilot program to restore basic services in Gaza, provide humanitarian aid and establish shelters in areas not controlled by Hamas,” Israel’s Ynet noted. The ISF decision came 10 days after Morocco signed an agreement to participate in the ISF. “Moroccan forces will support humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza and help train the Palestinian Police Force,” the Board of Peace noted on July 16. An Israeli official also said Uganda would participate. The decision to move forward with the ISF’s entry into Gaza also came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to depart for the United States on July 27. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out several strikes on terrorists in Gaza during the third week of July. On July 27, the IDF said it eliminated a Palestinian Islamic Jihad member in the territory. This followed strikes on a Hamas Internal Security forces member as well as a Hamas drone unit commanderon July 27 and 28, respectively. The IDF also dismantled a tunnel that it said was hundreds of meters long within the area of Gaza under Israeli control. Hamas continues to control around 40 percent of the territory, according to Israeli estimates. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).