Washington: The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has notified Congress of its intention to provide more than $206 million to support a proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, according to U.S. government notifications and reporting by Reuters.

The proposed allocation would mark the first major U.S. financial commitment specifically directed toward the planned international force, a key component of Washington's broader framework for ending the conflict, stabilising Gaza and supporting its reconstruction.

According to notifications issued by the U.S. State Department, approximately $200 million would be allocated for equipment, infrastructure and operational requirements associated with the force. An additional roughly $6 million is earmarked for the refurbishment of U.S. armoured vehicles intended to support the mission.

A Proposed Security Role in Gaza

Under the emerging framework, the International Stabilization Force would be tasked with supporting security arrangements in Gaza, assisting with the demilitarisation process, facilitating humanitarian operations and helping ensure the safe delivery of reconstruction supplies.

The force could also play a role in establishing security conditions in areas vacated by Israeli forces and supporting the development and training of a new Palestinian police force.

However, important details—including the force's mandate, command structure, rules of engagement and deployment arrangements—remain under negotiation.

Nine U.S. Armoured Vehicles

As part of the proposed support package, the United States plans to make nine armoured military vehicles available for the international mission.

The vehicles had previously been designated for Nepal but are now being repurposed for the proposed Gaza operation. Albania and Kosovo are expected to be among the initial countries to receive the vehicles in connection with their participation in the mission.

Peace Plan Faces Major Obstacles

The financial commitment comes as implementation of Trump's broader Gaza peace initiative continues to face significant political and security challenges.

The proposed framework envisages a phased transition involving an international security presence, Palestinian policing, humanitarian assistance, demilitarisation and eventually large-scale reconstruction.

The most contentious issues remain Hamas's disarmament and the timing and conditions of an Israeli military withdrawal.

Israel has maintained that Hamas must be disarmed before major reconstruction can proceed, while Hamas has tied implementation of the proposed framework to an Israeli withdrawal and an end to military operations.

The unresolved differences have delayed progress toward the next phase of the plan.

International Participation Remains Uncertain

Washington has been consulting potential international partners for months in an effort to assemble the stabilization force and establish its command and operational framework.

Several countries have indicated an interest in contributing personnel, although securing firm troop commitments and agreeing on the force's mandate remain significant challenges.

Reuters has reported that five countries have agreed to contribute troops, while Egypt and Jordan are expected to play a role in training Palestinian security personnel.

Uganda has also received parliamentary approval for a potential troop deployment, while Morocco has publicly expressed willingness to contribute to the proposed mission.

Reconstruction: The Larger Challenge

The proposed stabilization force represents only one element of a much broader reconstruction effort.

Years of conflict have left Gaza's housing, healthcare, roads, water networks and other critical infrastructure severely damaged, creating an enormous humanitarian and financial challenge.

The Trump administration's proposed Board of Peace is intended to coordinate aspects of the political transition and reconstruction process. The initiative, however, has faced questions in Washington regarding governance, transparency and oversight of U.S. financial contributions.

In June, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for greater clarity regarding the Board of Peace's governance and the monitoring and administration of U.S. taxpayer funds.

Funding Does Not Resolve the Political Deadlock

The proposed $206 million commitment signals that Washington is moving to establish the financial and logistical foundations for a potential international presence in Gaza.

Yet the funding itself does not resolve the central political disputes that have stalled implementation.

For an international force to deploy effectively, participating countries would need agreement on its mandate, rules of engagement, command structure, relationship with Israeli forces and Palestinian authorities, and the broader political transition.

Ultimately, the success of the initiative will depend on whether Israel and Hamas can reach agreement on the sequencing of Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, Palestinian security arrangements and international reconstruction.

For now, Washington appears to be preparing the infrastructure and resources for the proposed stabilization mission while negotiations over its political framework continue.

The decisive question is whether those preparations can eventually translate into a functioning international force on the ground—and whether such a force can help create the conditions for a lasting political settlement in Gaza.

— AALIMI NATION | International Desk